Recipes Winter Issue 2026

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RAINBOW WELCOME ROLLS

Ingredients:
12 spring roll rice paper wrappers
½ cup mint leaves
½ small pack Thai basil leaves
4 spring onions (cut in half then cut lengthways into strips)
1 courgette / baby marrow peeled lengthways, halved and cut into thin strips (or use julienne peeler)
1 large carrot (halved and cut into thin strips or use julienne peeler)
½ mango (cut into strips)
1 red chilli (deseeded and cut into thin strips)
50g salted peanuts chopped (optional)
sweet chilli sauce for dipping

Instructions:

1Have all your ingredients prepared
and ready to go before you start
assembling the rolls. Dip a spring
roll wrapper into a shallow bowl of
water until it just softens (don’t leave
it too long or you’ll be left with a
sticky mess).

1.Put the wet rice paper wrapper on a chopping board, then top with a couple of mint and basil leaves (if using), and some spring onion, courgette, carrot, mango, chilli and peanuts (if using).

2. Starting with the edge nearest to you, fold the wrapper into the centre so that it covers half the filling. Fold in both of the shorter ends, then, rolling away from you, fold the wrapper over so that the entire filling is encased. Repeat with the remaining wrappers and fillings to make 12 spring rolls. Can be made in the morning and kept in the fridge for later.

3. To serve, cut the spring rolls in half on the diagonal. Serve with sweet chilli dipping sauce on the side.

Tip: Avoid overfilling A common mistake is adding too much filling. Use a moderate amount so the rolls stay tight and don’t burst when rolling.

GARDEN COMFORT PEACH SALAD

Ingredients:
1 lime (zested and juiced)
1 tbsp canola oil
2 tbsp finely chopped mint plus a
few whole leaves to serve
2 tbsp basil (chopped)
2 peaches (300g), quartered
75g quinoa
160g fine green
beans trimmed and halved)
1 small red onion (very finely
chopped)
1 baby gem lettuce (roughly
chopped)
½ x 60g pack rocket
1 small avocado (stoned and sliced)

Instructions:

1.Mix the lime zest and juice, oil, mint and basil, then put half in a bowl with the peaches. Meanwhile, cook the quinoa following pack instructions.

2. Cook the beans for 3-4 minutes until just tender. Meanwhile, griddle the peaches for 1 minute on each side. If you don’t have a griddle pan, use a large non-stick frying pan with a drop of oil. 3. Drain the quinoa and divide between shallow bowls. Toss the warm beans and onion in the remaining mint mixture and pile on top of the quinoa with the lettuce and rocket. Top with the avocado and peaches and scatter over the mint leaves.

3.Drain the quinoa and divide between shallow bowls. Toss the warm beans and onion in the remaining mint mixture and pile on top of the quinoa with the lettuce and rocket. Top with the avocado and peaches and scatter over the mint leaves. Serve while still warm and enjoy!

Instructions:

1Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan and add the onion. Fry gently for 10 minutes until soft then add the garlic and grate the ginger straight into the pan. Stir in the paprika and the cayenne and cook for another minute then tip into a slow cooker.

2.Return the pan to the heat and add another 1 tbsp oil along with the chilli, red pepper and shredded cabbage. Cook for 4-5 minutes then tip into the slow cooker.

3.Use the remaining oil to fry the sweet potatoes, you may have to do this in 2 or 3 batches depending on the size of your pan. Cook the sweet potatoes for around 5 minutes or just until they start to pick up some colour at the edges then put them in the slow cooker too.

COZY COCONUT SWEET POTATO CURRY

Ingredients:
4 tbsp olive oil
2 large onions (halved and sliced)
3 garlic cloves (crushed)
thumb-sized piece of ginger
(peeled)
1 tsp paprika
½ tsp cayenne pepper
2 red chillies (deseeded and sliced)
2 red peppers (deseeded and sliced)
250g red cabbage (shredded)
1kg sweet potatoes (peeled and
chopped into chunks)
300g tomato purée
400ml coconut milk
2 tbsp peanut butter
To serve
small bunch fresh coriander
chopped
cooked couscous (or gluten-free
alternative

HOMESTYLE HARVEST SHEPHERD’S PIE

Ingredients:
1.2kg cooking potatoes
50ml vegetable oil
30g dried porcini mushrooms,
soaked in hot water for 15 mins, then
drained (reserve the liquid)
2 large leeks (chopped)
2 small onions (chopped)
4 medium carrots (about 300g), cut
into small cubes
1 vegan vegetable stock cube
3 garlic cloves (crushed)
2 tbsp tomato purée
2 tsp smoked paprika
1 small butternut (peeled and cut
into small cubes)
½ small pack marjoram or oregano
(leaves roughly chopped)
½ small pack thyme leaves
½ small pack sage leaves (roughly
chopped)
4 celery sticks (chopped)
400g can chickpeas
300g frozen peas
300g frozen spinach
20ml olive oil
small pack flat-leaf
parsley chopped
tomato sauce to
serve (optional)

Instructions:

1.Put the unpeeled potatoes in a
large saucepan, cover with water,
bring to the boil and simmer for 40

minutes until the skins start to split. Drain and leave to cool a little

2.Meanwhile, heat the vegetable oil in a large heavy-based sauté pan or flameproof casserole dish. Add the mushrooms, leeks, onions, carrots and the stock cube and cook gently for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. If it starts to stick, reduce the heat and stir more frequently, scraping the bits from the bottom. The veggies should be soft but not mushy.

3.Add the garlic, tomato purée, paprika, squash and herbs. Stir and turn the heat up a bit, cook for 3 minutes, add the celery, then stir and cook for a few more minutes.

4.Add in the chickpeas along with the water in the can and reserved mushroom stock. Add the peas and spinach and stir well. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, then season, turn off and set aside. There should still be plenty of liquid and the veg should be bright and a little firm.

5.Peel the potatoes and discard the skin. Mash 200g with a fork and stir into the veggies. Break the rest of the potatoes into chunks, mix with the olive oil and parsley and season. 6. Divide the filling into the pie dishes and top with the potatoes. Heat oven to 190C and bake the pies for 40-45 minutes, until the top is golden and the filling is heated through. If making individual pies, check after 20 minutes. Best served with tomato sauce as all great shepherd’s pies are

6.Divide the filling into the pie dishes and top with the potatoes. Heat oven to 190C and bake the pies for 40-45 minutes, until the top is golden and the filling is heated through. If making individual pies, check after 20 minutes. Best served with tomato sauce as all great shepherd’s pies are!

STICKY TOFFEE PEAR HEARTH PUDDING

Ingredients:
8 small firm pears
200g golden caster sugar
2 cinnamon sticks
1 star anise
6 cloves
1 lemon zest pared
1 orange zest pared
vegan ice cream to serve (optional)
For the sponge
250g pitted dates
2 tbsp linseeds / flax seed
300ml unsweetened almond milk
200ml vegetable oil plus extra for
greasing
175g dark muscovado sugar
200g self-raising flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp ground mixed spice

Instructions:

1.Peel the pears and cut the bottom off each to give a flat base. Cut them to a height that will fit snugly in your tin. Use a melon baller or small knife to cut out the pips from the base. Roughly chop the pear scraps, discarding the pips, and set aside. Tip the sugar, cinnamon, star anise, cloves, zests and 600ml water into a saucepan large enough to fit all the pears. Bring to the boil, then simmer until the sugar has dissolved. Add the pears, cover with a lid or a piece of baking parchment, and poach gently for 15 minutes until a knife easily slides into a pear. Leave to cool in the liquid.

VELVET BEET BLISS LATTE

Ingredients:
2 cups unsweetened almond or coconut milk
1 TBSP beetroot powder
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
pinch of ground ginger
1/4 cup Nour dates

2.Now make the sponge. Put the dates and linseeds / flax seeds in a saucepan and add the almond milk. Bring to a gentle simmer, then cook for 2-3 minutes until the dates are soft. Pour into a food processer and blitz until smooth. Add the oil and blend again, then scrape into a bowl and set aside to cool a little. Heat oven to 180C. Grease and line a 20 x 30cm baking tin (a loose -bottomed one if possible) with a strip of baking parchment paper.

3.Put the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl with 1/ 2 tsp salt. Mix well, breaking up any lumps of sugar with your fingers, and shaking the bowl a few times to encourage any remaining lumps to come to the surface. Add the date and oil mixture, and stir well. Fold in the chopped pear scraps. Scrape the cake mixture into the tin, then nestle in the pears, standing straight up, so that the bottom halves are covered. Bake for 35-40 minutes until the cake is cooked through. Insert a skewer to the centre to check. It should come out clean. If there is any wet cake mixture on the skewer, return the cake to the oven and bake for 10 minutes more, then check again.

4.Meanwhile, bring the pear poaching liquid back to the boil and simmer until reduced to a glossy syrup. When the pudding is cooked, cool for 5-10 minutes, then brush all over with the syrup, saving a little extra to serve alongside, with vegan ice cream, if you like