Dietary: Vegetarian

Most people think of potato when they envisage gnocchi but adding butternut squash is a great alternative – it gives a nutty sweetness and a beautiful orange colour. Pan fried and then simply served tossed through a fresh cavolo nero and kale pesto – it is a perfect warmer for the colder, Autumn months. Just make sure you have enough pecorino or parmesan to top generously!

  1. To make the gnocchi, cut the butternut squash in half and deseed, then cut into wedges. Place the chopped butternut squash onto a roasting tray. Drizzle and toss in oil, season well with Maldon Salt and add some sprigs of rosemary to the tray before roasting for 40 mins in the oven until soft.
  2. Remove from the oven and allow the squash to cool slightly. When cool enough to handle, pass the pieces through a ricer.
  3. Tip the pureed squash into a pan and cook gently for 30 – 40 mins until the juices evaporate and you are left with a dense, smooth puree. Leave to cool.
  4. Once cooled, add to a bowl and mix in some grated nutmeg, seasoning, egg, flour, a pinch of Maldon Salt and grated parmesan. Mix until you have a soft pliable dough. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a long, thin sausage and then cut into 3cm pieces. Roll them with a gnocchi board or gently press with the prongs of a fork. Set aside on a lightly floured tray whilst you roll the remaining.
  5. To make the pesto – Add the cavolo nero and kale to a pan of salted boiling water and blanch for a minute or so. Remove from the pan and place straight into a bowl of iced cold water. Squeeze out any excess liquid from the leaves and then place them into a food processor along with the grated parmesan, toasted pine nuts, crushed garlic clove, a pinch of Maldon Salt and olive oil and blitz until it forms a paste. Season well.
  6. Place another large pan of water onto boil and season well with salt. Once boiling pop the gnocchi to boil – they are cooked when they float to the surface. Remove with a slotted spoon. Heat a large frying pan with some oil and then add the gnocchi to the pan, tossing them until they are lightly golden.
  7. Finally pour in some of the cavolo nero and kale pesto and toss through the gnocchi. Spoon into bowls and garnish literally with grated parmesan, toasted pine nuts and a final drizzle of olive oil.

Take the pastry out of the fridge 30-45 minutes before you want to use it – this just allows it to warm and soften a little so it won’t crack on unrolling.

Once the pastry has come to room temperature, unroll it onto the worktop. Use a small sharp knife to slice it into 6 equal square-ish pieces. Take a piece and lift it into one of the holes in the muffin tin, crimping and pressing it down to the base but leaving the frilled edges proud of the tin to contain the filling. Repeat with the other pieces of pastry then slide the tin in the fridge to chill for half and hour – this will help prevent the pastry shrinking when you cook it. so the filling

Whilst the pastry is chilling, make the filling. Add the raisins to a small bowl and pour over boiling water to cover. Leave to soak for 30 minutes before draining well.

Meanwhile add the brown sugar and butter to a bowl and beat until smooth and creamy with an electric whisk. You can also use a food mixer, or do it by hand with a wooden spoon and a bit of elbow grease. Add the egg, syrup, vanilla and salt and beat until smooth.

Remove the tin from the fridge and divide the drained raisins between each pastry case then pour over the filling mixture. Side the tin back into the fridge whilst you light the barbecue.

To bake in a barbecue you need to create and oven-like heat, so you cook using convection (or hot air) currents rather than the direct heat from the fire. The best way to do this is to light two small charcoal fires, one on either side of your barbecue, with a generous fire-free zone in the middle. you will need a barbecue with a lid you can close to trap the hot air inside.

Once the barbecue is hot (aim for a temperature of around 200C) set the tin of tarts in the centre between the two fires and shut the lid. Bake until the filling is just set and the pastry is golden – around 30 minutes, depending on the heat of your fire. The filling may ooze up and out a little. Allow to cool a little before easing from the tin. Serve warm or cold, sprinkling with a just a few extra flakes of Maldon just before eating.

To cook inside:

Pre-heat your oven to 200C fan temp and bake for around 20 minutes. These tarts cook slightly quicker in a conventional indoor oven.

This recipe shows you how to prepare radicchio for salad and combines apple, rocket, pecorino and pine nuts along with a beautiful dressing.

  1. Start by preparing the dressing for the salad. In small bowl or jug, combine the lemon juice, olive oil, walnut oil and cider vinegar. Whisk together and then season with Maldon salt and cracked black pepper. Set aside.
  2. To prepare the radicchio, carefully pluck the leaves off working your way into the centre core. Once you reach the inside white core, discard this as it can be bitter and tough.
  3. Arrange the radicchio leaves on a large serving platter and toss with the apple matchsticks, wild rocket and dill.
  4. Drizzle the dressing over the leaves and apple before topping with the pecorino shavings and toasted pine nuts, plus a final garnish of dill fronds.

FAQ

This recipe is packed full of hearty green vegetables and baked eggs. It is full of flavour from the spices, feta, herbs and lemon and makes a great brunch or lunch dish.  

  1. Take a large frying pan – a cast iron pan works well for this, as it needs to be oven proof also – and place on a medium heat. Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil, and when hot, add the sliced spring onions and fry gently until softened.
  2. Once softened add the crushed garlic, cumin seeds and ground coriander and continue to fry for another 2 minutes until starting to smell fragrant.
  3. Next add the cavolo nero, spinach and lemon juice and zest. Cook this down gently, stirring often for 5 minutes until the cavolo nero and spinach has softened and wilted. Once they are cooked down, add the frozen peas, chopped coriander and dill fronds and cook for another 2 minutes.
  4. Now you want to create 4 shallow wells in the vegetable mixture and carefully crack the eggs into each hole. Turn the heat down and gently cook the eggs on the hob for 3 minutes before placing into the preheated oven for 5 – 8 minutes. You want the whites to be just set but the yolks to still be runny, so it is worth keeping an eye on them. 
  5. Remove the pan from the oven as soon as the eggs are cooked. Top the dish with the feta cheese crumbled over the top, the picked mint leaves and some extra dill fronds. Finally finish with a drizzle of olive oil, some Maldon salt and cracked black pepper. Serve the eggs immediately to the table for everyone to serve themselves alongside some toasted sourdough.

There’s something truly special about baking cookies that feel both indulgent and nourishing – and these homemade oat cookies are just that. Packed with wholesome rolled oats, rich dark chocolate, chewy dried fruits and a medley of chopped nuts, they’re bound together with creamy cashew and almond butter for a decadent texture and taste. The magic touch? A pinch of Maldon Sea Sat flakes, which enhances every flavour and adds a subtle crunch.

Finished with decorative chocolate swirls on top, these cookies are perfect for cosy autumn gatherings, thoughtful homemade gifts, or simply treating yourself after a long day. Every bite is a celebration of comfort, craft and a little salty-sweet sophistication!

How to Make Oat Biscuits With Dried Fruits, Nuts and Chocolate

  1. Preheat the oven to 180C and line two baking trays with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl mix together the oats, Maldon Sea Salt, baking powder, chopped nuts and dried fruit. Set aside.
  3. In a smaller bowl, mix together the cashew butter, almond butter, maple syrup and coconut sugar. Stir until well combined and the coconut sugar has dissolved.
  4. Pour this wet mixture into the larger bowl with the dry ingredients and mix together until well distributed and combined.
  5. Take a small amount of the mixture and roll together in your hands – roughly the size of a golf ball. Place onto the lined baking sheets with a 2inch gap in between and press down gently to flatten slightly. Place into the preheated oven and bake for 10 – 12 minutes until golden brown on top. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the baking sheets.
  6. Once cool, use the melted dark chocolate to drizzle across the tops of the cookies. Sprinkle with a final pinch of Maldon salt and then allow the chocolate to set before serving.

FAQ

This recipe shows you how easy it is to make butternut squash spaghetti by spiralizing the squash, which makes a great and healthy alternative to pasta. You can make different sauces for your squash spaghetti; however, this is a lighter alternative which uses burrata, courgette, mint and lemon.

  1. Begin my peeling and deseeding the butternut squash. Then cut into sections and using a spiralizer, create long ribbons which look like spaghetti. Place a large frying pan on the heat and drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil. When the pan is hot, add the butternut squash spaghetti and sauté for 5 – 7 minutes until softened and golden. Remove from the heat.
  2. While the butternut squash is cooking, place a second small frying pan onto the heat and drizzle in 1 tbsp olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the slices of courgette and fry for a few minutes on each side so they are golden and toasty – you made need to do this in batches. Remove them from the heat.
  3. Now you can plate up – pile a golden heap of butternut squash spaghetti onto two plates. Top with some burrata, fried courgette slices, diced chilli, fresh mint leaves and some lemon zest. Finish each plate with a final pinch of Maldon salt, some cracked black pepper and a drizzle of olive oil.

Parsnips are healthy and good for the body, providing plenty of vitamins, minerals and healthy fibre. They are also low in fat and are packed full of flavour. As a root vegetable they serve themselves well when roasted and this delicious salad is a great way of adding them into your diet.

  1. Begin my preheating the oven to 180C. Prepare the parsnips by simply cutting the larger ones in half lengthways but keeping any small one’s whole. Place them into a roasting tray and drizzle with 2 tbsp olive oil, some Maldon salt and cracked black pepper. Toss them so they are well coated and then place in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, turning halfway through. They should be golden brown and crispy on the edges.
  2. While the parsnips are cooking, prepare the couscous. In a saucepan, cook the couscous according to the packet instructions. Once cooked, drain and remove from the heat. Add the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil, plenty of Maldon salt and cracked black pepper. Allow the couscous to cool.
  3. Once the couscous has cooled and the parsnips are out of the oven (and also cooled). Stir the finely sliced red onion, chopped parsley, sultanas and crumbled feta into the couscous. Check the season and adjust if needed.
  4. Pile the couscous onto a serving platter and top with the roasted parsnips. Garnish with the pomegranate seeds, a little extra parsley and a drizzle of pomegranate molasses.

FAQ

This recipe shows you how quick and easy it is to stir fry kale and is delicious and easy when served with golden garlic and fiery chilli. A perfect mid-week side dish, plus kale is packed full of vitamins and minerals to nourish your body. 

  1. Start by prepping your kale. The best way to prepare kale is to pull the leaves off the stem in the middle – the stem is very woody and takes a long time to cook down, it is also difficult to digest and so the leaves are the best part to eat. Once you have removed the stems just roughly tear the leaves.
  2. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Then add the sliced garlic and finely diced chilli. Fry this off for a couple of minutes until the garlic begins to start turning golden and toasty.
  3. Next add the kale and stir fry along with the garlic and chilli for roughly 5 – 8 minutes until the kale has softened and collapsed without losing its green colour. Now you want to season your kale with a good pinch of Maldon Salt and a splash of sherry vinegar – the combination of the salt and the sweet vinegar enhances the earthy flavours of the kale and also helps reduce any bitterness.
  4. Tip the stir-fried kale into a serving bowl and serve immediately whilst warm.

This recipe for a Blood Orange Olive Oil cake combines beautiful seasonal Blood Oranges and the use of Olive oil makes it wonderfully moist and flavoursome without being too sweet. It is topped with Blood Orange slices for a real showstopper dessert. 

  1. Grease a 20cm round cake tin with olive oil and line the base with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 190C.
  2. Take the blood oranges and carefully cut into thin rounds (as thin as you can go!). Start by sprinkling 30g of the golden caster sugar on the bottom of the cake tin, over the paper. Then arrange the slices on top of the in a nice circular pattern. Use the end pieces of the blood oranges to squeeze over any remaining juice and then set aside while you make the cake batter.
  3. In a large mixing bowl mix together the plain flour, semolina, baking powder and Maldon salt. Adding salt to your baking helps balance and enhance flavours, it balances sweetness and acidity.
  4. Next in a smaller bowl mix together the orange juice and zest, vanilla extract and olive oil.
  5. Place the eggs and sugar into a stand mixer – or you can use an electric whisk – and beat them together until they are pale and fluffy. Next add the dry ingredients, followed by the wet ingredients and beat until smooth.
  6. Pour the cake batter into the tin on top of the orange slices and smooth over the top. Place the cake tin into the preheated oven and bake for 30 – 40 minutes until golden brown on top and cooked through.
  7. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Then carefully remove from the cake tin before turning it upside down onto a plate and peeling off the baking paper. Allow the cake to then cool completely before slicing and serving with crème fraiche.

Start your day with a vibrant burst of flavour and nourishment with a green smoothie. Blending fresh spinach, creamy avocado and a hint of ginger, it’s finishing touch of Maldon Sea Salt flakes elevates every sip. The clean saltiness brings out the natural sweetness of the fruit and the earthiness of the greens, making this smoothie a refreshing, energising drink to have with your breakfast.

How to make a green smoothie

  1. Set up your blender on a cool, flat surface. Make sure it’s switched off whilst the plug is in.
  2. Start filling the blender with your ingredients in this order: water, half an avocado, fresh ginger, cored apples, frozen spinach and a final pinch of Maldon Sea Salt flakes to elevate the sweetness of the smoothie and counteract the bitterness.
  3. Place the lid securely onto the blender to prevent any spillage. Turn the switch/power button on.
  4. Select the appropriate speed setting and begin blending. You will know when the ingredients have blended nicely together because the liquid will become vivid green with a medium-thick texture.
  5. Pour the contents into a tall glass and drink immediately.

What are the benefits of a detox smoothie?

A detox smoothie helps detoxify your body, it can help with weight loss, it enhances immunity, improves digestion and is a great way of packing in extra vitamins and nutrients.

Are green smoothies good for you?

Medically reviewed by Dany P. Baby, green smoothies are nutrient-rich blends of fruits and vegetables which allow people to meet their recommended daily intake of vitamins and minerals all in one glass! Unlike juices, green smoothies retain beneficial fibre from whole foods that are blended together.

What to put in a green smoothie

Basic green smoothies contain leafy greens like spinach, kale and arugula. Alone, these greens blended can take quite bitter, however there are many combinations you can use to improve the flavour profile and add further nutritional value to the drink:

Are green smoothies good for breakfast?

Green smoothies make a great breakfast option! You can make it quickly for a blender, it’s fresh tasting and it’s packed with nutrition from the amount of fruit and vegetables used. It contributes to your 5-a-day and is the ideal breakfast for when you are on the go.

Can you freeze green smoothies?

Yes. You can store your smoothie in the freezer for up to 3 months! It keeps the flavour, mouthfeel, colour and nutrition! Make sure you store your smoothie contents in BPA-free plastic, glass or bags designed for sub-zero temperatures so that you avoid cracking and freezer burn.

Can I make green smoothies the night before?

You can store your smoothie in the fridge for up to 1-2 days before drinking. However, we do recommend consuming the smoothie within 24 hours for optimal freshness. Make sure you container is covered with a tight-fitting lid