■ Fill a large jug halfway with ice. Pour in 800ml dry sparkling cider with 100ml smooth orange juice and 3 orange slices. Mix well, then pour in 1-2 tbsp grenadine just before serving. ■ Fill a large jug halfway with ice. Pour in 200ml tequila with

■ Serves 2 ■ Prep 6 mins ■ Cook 9 mins 400g pack gnocchi 150ml double cream 30g parmesan, finely grated, plus a little extra ½ lemon, juiced 100g white crabmeat handful of flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped dressed green salad, to serve 1 Boil the gno

Did you know mussels and other bivalves like clams contain more protein than many meat and plant crops, and have high levels of omega-3, iron, zinc and magnesium? They're so nutrient dense, experts say they're one of the best ways we can feed a growi

Make the crumble up to three days in advance and store in a food bag or container in the fridge. So what makes a good crumble? It's all subjective, I know, but for me, I need a mix of apples. Bramleys can quickly turn to mush but you need some of tha

Make up 300g bread mix following pack instructions. Don't rise or knead – just roll into a rough 30cm circle on a baking sheet. Or, you can buy a ready-made pizza base from the supermarket. Pile on the toppings, then bake at 240C/220C fan/gas 9 for 1

If you've got the oven on, this makes an ultimate no-fuss pasta sauce that can simmer away on its own. Sealing the pot and oven baking creates a rich, deep flavour. If you keep back some spoonfuls, you can use them to make our sloppy joe pizzettes (b

Cut out & keep ■ Serves ■ 4 Prep 10 mins ■ Cook 15 mins 1 tbsp vegetable oil 2 onions, each cut into 12 2 romano peppers, deseeded and sliced small pack coriander, leaves picked and stems chopped 2 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp hot smoked paprika 200g pack

Say hello to your new favourite breakfast. A cross between French toast and an almond croissant, we've used blueberries, but you can top it with any fruit. ■ Makes ■ Prep 15 mins plus cooling ■ Cook 35 mins 3 tbsp caster sugar 1 strip of pared lemon

■ Serves 16-18 ■ Prep 20 mins plus cooling and setting ■ Cook 30 mins 250g butter, softened, plus extra for the tin 250g caster sugar 2 tsp vanilla bean paste 4 eggs 250g self-raising flour 1 tsp baking powder 4 tbsp milk 1 lemon, zested desiccated c

Make-ahead ideas to freeze now and serve later Cook 2 sliced onions in butter with 2 crushed garlic cloves. Add 400g chopped spinach and wilt. Mix 1 tub ricotta with 4 tbsp grated parmesan or veggie alternative, then mix into the spinach. Leave to co

20 low-cost meal ideas ■ Serves 4 ■ Prep 15 mins ■ Cook 20 min before cooking 500g pack lean minced lamb 1 onion, finely chopped 3 tbsp curry paste (we used korma) small bunch of coriander, chopped 150ml pot fat-free yogurt 2 tbsp chopped mint 1 garl

Hand blenders, also known as stick blenders or immersion blenders, have a small spinning blade mounted on the end of a rod, which is shielded by a plastic or metal skirt. Their greatest benefit is that they allow you to purée quickly without the need

Great breakfasts the kids can help prepare ■ Serves 6 ■ Prep 20 mins plus 30 mins proving ■ Cook 15 mins 110g self-raising flour, plus extra for the bowl 110g plain wholemeal flour 3 tbsp rapeseed oil, plus extra small knob of butter, melted 1 tbsp o

Accidental recipes from fridge raids seem to be my best inventions; pairing together ingredients to use up before they get thrown out gives me such a buzz! This salmon tastes great with my chimichurri (below). ■ Serves 4 4 salmon fillets (about 120g

■ Serve 2 ■ Prep 30 mins ■ Cook 50 mins 250g asparagus 300g fresh peas, podded and the pods reserved or 100g frozen peas 30g parmesan or vegetarian alternative, finely grated, plus the rind, if available 1 litre vegetable or chicken stock 2 tbsp oliv

■ Serves 4 ■ Prep 10 mins ■ Cook 5 mins 650g mixed fruit, such as halved strawberries, seedless grapes and chunks of pineapple, mango or melon 100g chocolate, broken into squares 150g pot yogurt, use your favourite fruit flavour or opt for low-fat, G

This will give you enough beans to serve on the side another day – perfect with a couple of sausages or as a snack on toast. ■ Serves 1 ■ Prep 10 mins ■ Cook 45 mins to 1 hr 1 large sweet potato 1 small or ½ onion, finely chopped 1 tbsp olive oil 2 t

Lamb shoulder isn't the leanest cut, but by cooking it low and slow, all the fat melts away, leaving you with a tender, lean joint. Also, as it's baked in its own sauce, there's no need for extras like gravy. Just serve it with roasties and greens, t

■ Serves 2 ■ Prep 15 mins ■ Cook 15 mins Squeeze the meat from 4 sausages and roll into eight balls. Fry the meatballs in a little olive oil until golden. Add 300g passata, 1 tbsp tomato ketchup, 1 tsp fennel seeds, ½ tsp red chilli flakes and ½ tsp

■ Serves 3 ■ Prep 15 mins ■ Cook 35 mins 3 large mixed peppers, halved oil, for drizzling 2 x 250g pouches cooked lime and coriander rice 400g can black beans, drained and rinsed 6 chilli cheese slices (or regular cheddar or monterey jack), or vegeta

Not everyone is a fan of raisins, so I wondered what else I could add to a classic bread and butter pud. I instantly thought of banana – pillowy and sweet, and eternal friend to honey and cinnamon, they work beautifully in this comfort-food classic.

20 budget meal ideas ■ Serves 4 ■ Prep 10 mins ■ Cook 30 mins 25g garlic butter 1 tsp dried oregano 1 onion, chopped 1 carrot, chopped 2 x 400g cans plum tomatoes 1 vegetable stock cube 100g half-fat crème fraîche pinch of sugar (optional) tear & s

■ Serves 4 2 tbsp sunflower oil 1kg middle neck lamb chops, trimmed 3 lamb’s kidneys, trimmed and halved (optional) 1kg potatoes, cut into 5mm slices 500g carrots, sliced 2 large onions, chopped 1 tsp caster sugar 1 bay leaf 1 rosemary sprig few pars

Before you buy, think about how you want to use your microwave. There are three main types: ■ Standard microwave Most regular models will allow you to cook food at low, medium or high power for a specific period, and may also have programmes to make