Seven Vegetable-centred Suppers: Week One

January gets a bad write-up but it’s a time of year I love – a time to gather thoughts to let the holiday glow slowly dim. I let it run until about the 15th, when I’ll gently lay down some intentions for the year ahead. If, like so many people I know, one of your resolutions is to eat more vegetables and less meat, I’ll be sharing seven suppers a week for the whole of January to give you some inspiration.

MONDAY: TOMATO + COCONUT CASSOULET from A Modern Way to Eat

This delicious recipe brings together so many of my favourite things. Sticky roasted tomatoes, the soothing creaminess of coconut milk and sweet little white beans, topped with a crust of sourdough bread. Don’t be put off by the coconut milk – it adds a gentle creamy note and brings everything together (the rest can be frozen and used in a curry another day).

TUESDAY: EMILY’S MASSAMAN CURRY from The Guardian

This is a recipe my kitchen has inherited from one of my favourite ever cooks, Emily Ezekiel, a dear friend with whom I’ve been lucky to work for a long time, on lots of projects. This curry would be a frontrunner for my favourite of all time: it’s so deeply layered with flavour and interest.

WEDNESDAY: BUDDHA BOWLS from A Modern Way to Cook

A melting pot of vibrant  flavours, rich textures and nourishing comfort, Buddha bowls are the perfect way to fuel your mind, body and soul.

THURSDAY: LEMONY LENTIL + CRISPY KALE SOUP from A Modern Way to Eat

I love this simple soup, which is somewhere between a dhal and a soup – it reminds me of the curry that is served in southern India with dosas. This soup is cleansing and clean, thanks to being spiked with turmeric and a lot of lemon. It’s what I crave if I’ve over-indulged or been around food too long (an occupational hazard – a very nice one).

FRIDAY: ROAST AVOCADO TACOS WITH CHARRED TOMATO SALSA from The Guardian

Here I break my no-tomatoes-in-winter rule: the charring brings out a sweetness in even the most lacklustre winter specimen. If you’re able to cook this in the summer, when tomatillos are in season, do use them.

SATURDAY: MIX + MATCH PIZZAS from The Guardian

Pizza is my one-year-old son’s favourite food. So these are my weeknight workhorses. The first is a quick no-rise dough, easily made in the food processor or by hand. It uses baking powder rather than yeast as a raising agent. The cooking starts off in a preheated ovenproof frying pan, which helps get a base that puffs up but stays crispy on the bottom.

SUNDAY: BUTTERNUT + SWEET LEEK HASH from A Modern Way to Cook

This all happens in half an hour in the pan. It’s also a great way to use up leftover, cooked root vegetables, which would make it even quicker.