Sorrel is an interesting flavour that makes a delicious and simple pesto, which is easy to whip up in the middle of a busy week.

Serves 2

Ingredients: 30g sorrel, 15g parsley, 3 garlic cloves, 100g golden beetroot, 100g red beetroot.

From the larder: 200g spaghetti, 30g almonds (flaked or whole), 30g Parmesan, 50ml olive oil (plus more for the pasta), salt and pepper. 

Instructions:

• Pre-heat the oven to 200 degrees C.
• Wash and/or peel the beetroot and cut into 1-2 cm chunks. Place on a baking tray drizzle with oil and sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper and place in the oven to roast for about 20 minutes, until soft.
• Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil, and when it comes to a rolling boil, add the pasta.
• Meanwhile make the pesto: roughly chop the sorrel, parsley and almonds and peel the garlic. Use a food processor, hand blender or mortar and pestle to whizz together the sorrel, parsley, garlic, olive oil, almonds and a generous pinch of salt until blended and then add the parmesan. Add more oil if too thick.
• When pasta is al denté, drain and stir in the pesto.
• Remove the beetroot from the oven and and serve on top of the pasta, garnished with Parmesan.

You may have heard of Meatless Mondays or have seen it trending on Instagram and Twitter but never quite knew what all the fuss was about. Well…the goal of Meatless Monday is to encourage individuals to skip eating meat every Monday in order to better their own health and the planet. Being a vegetarian might scare the bejeebers out of you but don’t worry, it isn’t all bad…in fact it’s delicious!

While the thought of giving up meat cold turkey (couldn’t resist the pun!) may be too much to bare, we’ve taken baby steps. Every little bit helps, so why not start with a Meatless Monday and reduce your meat intake every week? Dedicating one day a week to going veggie doesn’t sound so bad, does it? Little changes really add up, especially in your diet and health, so we’ve made it our mission to give you great inspirations in your Meatless Monday quest.

If you’d like to sign up for more blog posts just like this one to be delivered straight to your inbox, enter your email for free cooking tricks and wellbeing tips

Tip #1: Eat Eggs for Dinner

Eggs are super affordable, quick to make, full of protein and super filling! What more could you want on a Monday? Try our Tomato and Kale Bake for a delicious and hearty meal- without the meat.

Tip #2: Taste the Veggie Rainbow

Veg doesn’t have to be boring, I repeat VEG DOESN’T HAVE TO BE BORING! Mix it up and try veggies with lots of different flavours, textures and colours. You’ll love our Asian Noodle Salad– packed full of beetroot, mouli and carrots. The chilli dressing is gorgeous too.

Tip #3: Use Mushrooms to Bulk Up Meals

We love a good mushroom, anything from button to shimeji mushrooms. Mushrooms have a similar texture to meat and are great for soaking up lots of flavour. Check out our Shimeji and Mouli Stir Fry for a dish that’ll make you forget you’ve temporarily gone vegetarian.

Tip #4: Craving a burger? Beet it!

Try a meat free day with these delicious Beetroot Burger and Rosemary Root Fries and padron peppers. It’s healthy, beautiful and absolutely last but not least…full of flavour and spice! Who needs meat anyway when your plate is this gorgeous?

Tip #5: Become a Grill Master

Everyone loves a BBQ in the midst of summer, but can you stay on your vegetarian track? Instead of grilling filets of steak, simply cut up chunks of steak and veg and put them on skewers. This way you can load up on veg and reduce the amount of meat on your plate.

Tip #6: Cook for the whole family

Anything is easier when you have support and others who are trying to accomplish the same goal as you. Try cooking the same meals for your family and encourage them to go veggie once a week. You may be surprised at how easy it catches on!

Tip #7: Super Scrumptious Salad to Satisfy!

Hear me out- salads CAN be satisfying and won’t leave you craving for more. The modern salad is delicious and packed full of goodness. Say goodbye to wilted lettuce leaves, because our Warm Fig Salad is a complete gem.

Tip #8 Get your Grain on

Try out a new and exciting grain that will make you excited to cook it for the first time and even more excited to eat it. The sweet and savoury combination in our Moroccan Couscous of cinnamon roast veg, fresh mint and dates is irresistible. Chop it all up and pop it in the oven: it couldn’t be simpler!

Tip #9: Be a Superstar Planner

I know you’ve heard this one before, but really really try your very best to plan your meals out ahead of time. Not only does this take the stress and panic out of dinnertime, you may even find yourself looking forward to it!

Tip #10: You’re a Fruit and Veg Connoisseur

Expand your vegetable (and fruit) knowledge by making a conscious effort to try new veggies from around the globe. You’ll be surprised at how many delicious varieties exist that you’ve never heard of or tried. To start you off, here’s our Tamarind Pad Thai 

P.S. Tamarind is found in the seed pods of the tamarind tree. We eat the fleshy pulp surrounding the seeds that tastes somewhat like a date with a delicate citrus note. Although tamarind is often used in Southeast Asian cooking, the Tamarind trees is in fact originally native to Africa. It is used in all sorts of sauces, curries, soups and marinades. In this dish, we use it to make a pad thai sauce accompanying stir-fried veggies, peanuts and spring onions.

 

 

To help you eat and live well this summer, we’re giving you 7 days worth of fresh, delicious and healthy FREE recipes that are guaranteed to have you whipping up new dinners in summer 2017. The guide has a specific recipe for each day of the week to keep you at your best. We promise you’ll feel amazing by the end of the week! There’s a sneak peak at the end of the post to whet your appetite.

Send me my free “7 Easy Weeknight Summer Dinners to Feel Good”

Take the stress out of cooking and enjoy your summer

It’s officially summer. You may find yourself moving a little bit slower, enjoying the outdoors a little bit more and smiling a lot more. How could you not with warmer temperatures, BBQs and quality time spent with family and friends?

The summer season is NOT the time to stress in the kitchen over your next meal. Don’t get bogged down by complicated recipes or ridiculously long prep times. These 7 easy weeknight summer dinners require minimum time and effort from you but are sure to impress.

Why should I eat fresh this summer?

We’re all busy- between work, family and other commitments it’s easy to see why many people can put healthy eating on hold. However, in the summer months, there’s no excuse! Many more vegetables and fruits are in season, which can give you dinnertime inspiration. Plus,  it’s so much easier to eat loads of different vegetables and fruits when you know they’re fresh!

When vegetables and fruits are in season, they’re better for you. When you add preservatives and chemicals to keep packaged goods from going off, you’re no longer eating the freshest veg you could be.

Monday: Quinoa Salad

A spring salad to boot. Cook the quinoa and everything else is raw- packed with nutrients, vitamins, minerals and flavour!

Tuesday: Rainbow Tabouleh

This dish truly says summer! Packed full of couscous, cucumber, red pepper and more- there’s nothing more refreshing than a tabouleh?!

Wednesday: Spinach and Tomato Flatbread

This flatbread recipe is super simple and darn delicious. Simply grab a flatbread and top it with chopped spinach, tomatoes, pepper, grelot onions, basil and mozzarella. What more can you want in the mid-week meal?

Thursday: Early Summer Risotto

You can’t go wrong with a summer risotto! Filled with crunchy broad beans, peas and topped off with rocket, this is one way to get your greens.

Friday: Stovetop Lasagne

Enjoy this stovetop lasagne, a little twist on the traditional lasagne, which can sometimes feel like a little bit of an investment of time and effort. This stovetop version is fun to assemble and doesn’t require any oven time, so supper can be on the table in minutes.

Saturday: Smashed Potato and Fixins

Comfort food for the soul. Smashed sweet and new potatoes with plenty of fixin’s like sautéed leeks, cherry tomatoes, radishes and rocket. Served with a dollop of yoghurt or grated cheese, this meal goes down a treat!

Sunday: Asian Noodle Salad

A scrumptious Asian noodle salad packed full of beetroot, mouli, carrots and more. All combined with a gorgeous chilli dressing, it makes for an interesting and tasty summer salad.

Eating and living better at dinnertime

At THUD, it all comes down to one simple belief:  food is our fuel and real quality ingredients can help us in our quest to live our best life. We believe you should enjoy life’s simple pleasures and find little ways to eat better, and in turn, live better…especially in the summer! That’s why we’re focused on creating the UK’s best recipe box with fresh ingredients and delicious recipes.

First, we hand pick high quality ingredients used by top chefs and pack just the right quantities for the meals you order. Each week the Royal Mail posts a THUD box through your letterbox, so no need to be in. Delivery is free.

You cook exciting, delicious, healthy meals every week, following our simple recipes. Have a look at what’s on next week’s menu to whet your appetite for the upcoming summer months.