Seven Vegetable-centred Suppers: Week Two

MONDAY: QUICK POLENTA 

Warming, saffron-scented polenta is double-cooked here – once in the pan and then finished under the grill with a scattering of squash, kale and feta.

TUESDAY: RAMEN NOODLES WITH FRESH GREENS + CHILLI MISO

There are few foods that lure me in more than a bowl of ramen. I like to hedge my bets when I’m making my dinner choices, so I’m a fan of any dish where a little of everything – a note from every family of flavour – is in attendance. And nowhere is this more the case than with this Japanese noodle dish.

WEDNESDAY: ROAST SQUASH WITH LEMONGRASS, PEANUT + LIME

Roast squash is one of the building blocks of a meal that I find really useful to have in the fridge. I’ll do a couple and keep leftovers to use as the week unfolds: in quick grain bowls, pastas, with noodles and even squashed into sandwiches. A cut small squash will roast in 20 minutes or less, so it can be a quick dinner from scratch, too.

THURSDAY: ONE-POT ORZO WITH BEETROOT, THYME + ORANGE 

A simple one-pot dinner. You can use any colour of beetroot here – I love the magenta ones but the candy colours are beautiful too.

FRIDAY: TURMERIC + COCONUT BAKED CAULIFLOWER

There is something grand about vegetables roasted whole. All the food I make celebrates vegetables in some way, but cooking them whole takes it a step further. A complete vegetable, served up all golden and crackling, its colour intensified, makes a wonderful centrepiece that can be lacking in some meat-free cooking.

SATURDAY: THE REALLY HUNGRY BURGER

I had a little fight with myself over this recipe. Does a veggie burger have a place in modern vegetarian food? Something about veggie burgers feels a bit ‘nut-roast-at-brightly-painted-café-wearing-hemp- trousers’. However, my love of eating these strode forth so here they are. Please be assured that this is not the breaded sweetcorn and mushroom mush excuse that usually shows up between two white buns. This is a hearty health-packed wonder that makes no apology to anyone.

SUNDAY: BUTTERNUT + CANNELLINI GRATIN

This is a favourite warming winter or autumn dinner. It’s crispy-topped, with a sweet butternut, lemon and herb filling. It’s super-easy to put together and is made from simple stuff that I usually have to hand.