- 1 onion (finely chopped)
- 2 cloves garlic (chopped)
- 3-4 tablespoons of Olive oil
- 400g can of chopped tomatoes
- 1 can of kidney beans drained.
- 2 tablespoons of tomato puree
- 1-2 tablespoons of rice vinegar
- 1 bell pepper diced (red)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- Chilli to your taste
- Salt and pepper (to your taste)
- 250g Quorn mince

Heat the olive oil in a large pan and add the chopped onions, garlic diced bell pepper, cumin, cinnamon, paprika, vinegar and chilli and fry a few minutes (stirring occasionally), add the mince to the onions and spices, and mix well. Add the tomatoes, tomato purée, and the kidney beans and allow to simmer until cooked (about 15 minutes) stirring occasionally if needed, if at any point the chilli becomes too thick, add a little boiled water (or vegetable stock) and mix well. You can then add the salt and pepper to your taste, and serve with a boiled rice.

- Coco

- 1 Ball mozzarella (cut into bite-sized cubes)
- Basil leaves
- Tomatoes (I use Pomodorino tomatoes cut in half, you can use any type of tomato you like – just cut into bite-size chunks)

Wrap a cube of mozzarella, and a piece of tomato in a basil leaf, and stick a skewer through to hold everything together. That’s it!

- Coco

- Tortilla wraps (try a herb-infused one for extra yumminess)
- 3-4 heaped tablespoons of 3 bean mix OR refried beans
- 1-2 tablespoons of salsa sauce (for an extra kick try chilli salsa!)
- 1-2 tablespoons of sour cream sauce
- 1-2 tablespoons of guacamole
- About 6grams of grated mature cheddar cheese
- About 6grams of Cress and rocket salad
- Six slices of jalapeño (optional)
- Enough butter to seal the edges of your wrap

For the salad
- A handful of cress and rocket
- 5 slices of cucumber
- 3 cherry tomatoes
- Jalapeño’s (optional)
- Sour cream sauce for dressing (or honey mustard)

Take the tortilla wrap, and spread a little butter around the edges (this will help you “seal” the wrap later). On the lower half of the wrap, add the salsa sauce, sour cream, and guacamole. Spoon the 3 bean mix or refried beans on top of the sauces, and top with the cress and rocket salad, then add the grated cheese on top and roll the wrap.

For the salad, place the cress and rocket leaves in a bowl, place the cucumber slices on top, add the cherry tomatoes (and Jalapeño’s if you’re using them), and drizzle over the salad dressing.

Serve and enjoy

- Coco

- 1 ½ tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp Salt (or to taste)
- 250g red split lentils (washed)
- Enough cooking oil to fry your onions
- 2 medium red onions (finely sliced)
- 2 garlic cloves chopped
- 15-20 curry leaves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 chopped red chilli (or to your taste)
- 1 tsp Mustard seeds
- 400g can coconut milk

First boil the lentils with the turmeric and salt until the lentils are cooked (usually not more than 15 minutes). Fry the onions with the mustard seeds on a medium heat for 1 minute. Add the cinnamon stick, curry leaves and chilli, and cook until the onions have browned. Stir in the lentils, and coat well with the mixture in the pan. Pour over the coconut milk, let the lentils bubble for 1 minute. Then take off the heat, and serve with rice or naan bread.

- 1 Medium onion (finely chopped)
- 2 cloves of garlic (chopped)
- Enough olive oil to fry a medium-sized onion
- 1 small carrot (diced)
- 1 Red bell pepper (sliced/diced/deseeded)
- 4 0z/100g each of Quorn Lamb-style pieces, and Quorn chicken-style pieces (defrosted)
- 3 Tablespoons of frozen peas
- 1 Pinch Saffron
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- Paella rice (about 8oz/250g)
- About 1 litre of vegetable stock (I make up about 1.5 litres just in case I need to add more to the rice)

On a fairly high heat in a large pan, heat the oil, add the onion and carrot and fry for a minute. Add the bell pepper and fry until the pepper softens. Add the garlic, saffron, and the turmeric, and fry for another minute. Add the rice, and coat well with the mixture in the pan. Pour the vegetable stock over the rice, and reduce the heat slightly allowing the rice to simmer – remember to stir the rice occasionally so it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan, and you can always pour over extra vegetable stock if necessary. After 20-25 minutes, add the lamb-style pieces, chicken-style pieces and peas, and simmer until the rice is cooked, then serve and enjoy.

- Coco

- 6oz / 170g Bulgur wheat
- 1 Aubergine (cut into cubes)
- 1 Red bell pepper (diced)
- 2 tablespoons mint
- 1 teaspoon parsley
- 1 Medium onion (finely chopped)
- 2 Cloves garlic (finely chopped)
- Cooking oil (enough to fry an onion)
- Vegetable stock (approx. 1 litre)
- Salt, pepper, and lemon juice to serve.

Lightly fry the onions and garlic in a little oil. Add the diced bell pepper and fry for about 2 minutes. Add the cubed aubergine and fry for a further five minutes (remember to stir regularly so your aubergines, peppers and onion/garlic mix don’t stick to the bottom of your pan – you could always drizzle a little extra cooking oil if you feel you need it). Add the bulgur wheat and mix well, then pour enough vegetable stock to cover the mixture. Turn the heat down and simmer until the bulgur wheat is cooked – this should take about 10 minutes. If you need to, add more vegetable stock – a little at a time until the bulgur wheat is cooked through. Add the mint, parsley, salt and pepper (to your taste) and stir through. If you like, add a squeeze or two of lemon juice, serve and enjoy.

- Coco

- 1 Tablespoon of butter or ghee
- 1 Inch of fresh ginger
- 1 Medium onion (finely chopped)
- 2 Cloves garlic (chopped)
- 250g Potato (cooked and cubed)
- 200g Chopped tomatoes
- 1 Teaspoon tomato purée
- 200g Spinach (washed)
- Chilli (to your taste – optional)
- 1 Teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 Teaspoon turmeric
- 1 Teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 Pinch of asafoetida (optional – only one pinch, it’s extremely potent)
- Salt and pepper (optional)
- Lemon juice (optional)

Heat the butter in a large pan. Add the onions, and lightly fry for one minute. Add the garlic, chilli if you’re using it, cumin seeds, turmeric, coriander powder and asafoetida and fry for another minute (take care not to burn your spices – burnt spices do not a tasty meal make!). Add the chopped tomatoes, and tomato purée and cook for a further minute. Add the potatoes – mix until they are coated with the mixture in the pan, then add the spinach and cook until the spinach is wilted. Add salt and pepper to taste, and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

Serve with freshly-made rice and enjoy.

- Coco

- 300ml milk/soy milk or water (milk makes a creamier porridge)
- 3-4 heaped tablespoons of course semolina
- 100ml cold milk/soy milk or water
- Preferably a non-stick pan

If you’re using milk, heat it in the pan until its almost boiled. If you’re using water, bring it to the boil. In a small cup or a jug, add the cold water or milk and stir in the semolina until it forms a “paste”. Add the “paste” to the hot milk or water in the pan and stir well. Lower the heat and cook until the porridge thickens.

If you find your porridge is too thick, you can always add extra (hot) water or milk until it reaches your desired consistency. If the porridge doesn’t thicken (which it absolutely should do!), mix a teaspoon of semolina in about 50ml of cold water/milk, and add to the pan – make sure you stir continuously if you add more semolina in order to avoid lumps.

You can then pour it into a bowl, add honey or sugar to sweeten and enjoy.

-Coco

- X2 free-range eggs
- 100ml soya milk (or whatever type of milk you prefer)
- 100g caster sugar (don’t use granulated you’ll have crunchy pieces in your pancakes)
- 100g self raising flour
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Cooking oil
- Blueberries
- Maple syrup or honey

1. Separate the egg whites from the yolks.
2. Add the egg yolks, milk, caster sugar, flour and vanilla extract in a bowl and whisk well until you have a smooth batter.
3. Whisk the egg whites until they form stiff peaks (this is easier done with an electric whisk)
4. Fold the egg whites into the batter (make sure to fold the mixture and not mix vigorously, this will give you fluffier pancakes)

Heat the oil in a frying pan (medium heat), add a small amount of batter – not enough to coat the bottom of your frying pan. When the mixture starts to stiffen around the edges, add your blueberries – however many you like (I add about a tablespoonful), then flip the pancake to cook the other side.
Repeat with the remaining batter.

To serve, stack the pancakes, drizzle some maple syrup or honey over the top, then top with some blueberries and raspberries.

- Coco

It’s the pity. It’s the doe-eyed couple on the bus, who look at you, eyes wide and sad because your fingers aren’t interlocked and super-glued to another person’s. It’s the pair-bonded friend who insists on setting you up with her boyfriends, sisters, opticians, daughter’s old employer’s next door neighbours son. It’s the relatives who phone you and tell you not to worry…or worse…send you a bunch of flowers and box of chocolates so you don’t feel ‘left out’ (because you’re a seriously wonderful person, and anyone would be lucky to have you and they promise next year you won’t be single – they’ll take care of it)…it’s the single friends who insist you go out together and get drunk to prove to the world that you’re happy being single…or that you have a night in with a few bottles of wine and spend the night bitching about people who are in relationships and out on a date.

I don’t want to bitch about anyone…I am happy being single and don’t feel the need to prove it, I don’t want a date simply because its Feb 14th – and resent those around me who insist that I’m secretly dying inside, and lying to myself because I’m not crying into a tub of Häagen-Dazs…

…although, I am loving it that my food is in the mood for love! I bought packet of basil and found the heart shaped baby in the picture…it made me smile

- Coco