ITALIAN BAKED EGGS

Sweet, gooey, creamy and packed full of protein and nutrients, this is the perfect dish to make if you’re having friends round for brunch. I love making it in one big baking dish and then everyone can dip their bread in and really embrace the happiness that comes with eating together. You can also make them in individual dishes or ramekins if you prefer.

Serves 4
  • 2tbsp olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
  • 1tsp sugar
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • ¼ tsp dried chilli flakes
  • 1tsp dried mixed herbs (e.g. basil, thyme, oregano)
  • 8 eggs
  • 1 x 250g ball mozzarella, torn into small pieces
  • 8 pieces of bread to serve


  1. Pre-heat your oven to 200C and oil four medium sized ramekins or one large ovenproof dish.
  2. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat and add the garlic. Fry for 1-2 minutes before adding tomatoes, sugar, salt, pepper, chilli and herbs. Simmer for 10 minutes or until the sauce has thickened and pour into your ramekins or baking dish.
  3. Crack two eggs into each ramekin on top of the sauce (or all eight into your baking dish if you are making one large dish) and top with the torn mozzarella. Bake for 10-12 minutes until the egg whites are cooked and the yolks are still runny.

STRAWBERRY CHEESECAKE THICKIE

Like a smoothie but thicker and creamier! This breakfast is great for when you’re in a rush but need something energising to fuel you up for the morning. Strawberries are my favourite fruit but you can experiment with whatever you like best – mangos and pineapples make a lovely tropical thickie, and blueberries and raspberries have a delicious summery zing to them. 
 
Serves 1 (just double or triple recipe if you want to serve more people)
 
  • 100g frozen strawberries
  • 40g oats
  • 30g low fat cream cheese or silken tofu
  • 150ml milk (dairy, almond or coconut)
  • 0-1tbsp honey to taste
  • 3 ice cubes
 
  1. Place all ingredients in a blender and blend for 2-3 minutes until thick and creamy.

SMOKED SALMON PIZZAS

Smoked salmon bagels are a long-time favourite of mine and these simple pizzas take the traditional smoked salmon and soft cheese combo to a whole new level. They look impressive, taste amazing, are full of healthy fats, take less than 15 minutes to make and there is barely any washing up - perfect for a quick weekday breakfast or lunch!
 
Serves 4

  • 4 wraps, tortillas or socas (p.x)
  • 60g pesto
  • 250g ricotta
  • 16 cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 4 eggs
  • 150g smoked salmon
  • half a lemon
  • 4 handfuls of rocket
 
  1. Pre-heat oven to 180C and place the wraps on a large baking tray.
  2. Divide the pesto among the wraps and spread evenly. Spoon the ricotta around the edge of each wrap and top with the cherry tomatoes.
  3. Crack an egg into the centre of each wrap (the feta and tomatoes should act like a wall to stop the egg white running over the edges of the wrap) and bake for 8-10 minutes until the egg whites are set.
  4. Remove from the oven, top with smoked salmon, squeeze over lemon juice and serve with a handful of rocket each.

GREEK FRITTATA

​Frittatas are a great way to use up any leftover vegetables you have in the fridge. This recipe is inspired by Mediterranean flavours and ingredients – tomatoes, olives and feta, which give it a lovely summery vibe but feel free to use what you have available. 
 
Serves 2

  • 4 sundried tomatoes, chopped
  • 1tbsp olive oil
  • ½ red onion, diced
  • 1 courgette, grated
  • 80g cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 x 60-80g bag spinach
  • 6 eggs
  • 25g black olives, diced
  • 1tsp mixed dried herbs
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 50g feta cheese
 
  1. Heat grill to medium and soak the sundried tomatoes in a small cup of boiling water for 5 minutes to soften.
  2. Heat a medium sized frying pan with the oil and add the onions, courgette, and cherry tomatoes and fry for 2-3 minutes. Add the spinach with a splash of water and fry for another 1-2 minutes until the spinach has wilted.
  3. In a jug, combine the eggs, sundried tomatoes, olives, herbs and salt, add 2tbsp water and mix well. Pour into the frying pan and cook for 3-4 minutes until the top of the frittata is just beginning to set.
  4. Crumble over feta, transfer the frittata to the grill (keeping the frying pan handle away from direct heat) and cook for 6-8 minutes until the eggs are set and the frittata has puffed up slightly.
  5. Leave to cool, cut into quarters and pop two wedges into a lunch box with a handful of salad and store in the fridge overnight.​

RICE NOODLE SALAD WITH TOFU

​I first had tofu while I was training to be a yoga teacher in Thailand and every time I eat it, it takes me right back my time in such a beautiful country. Tofu is a great plant-based source of protein and works like a sponge to absorb the spicy marinade in this recipe. If you don’t have rice noodles to hand then feel free to use wholegrain or basmati rice instead.
 
Serves 2
 
For the tofu:
  • 50ml soy sauce
  • 1tbsp toasted sesame oil
  • 1tbsp fresh ginger, grated
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1tsp chilli flakes
  • ½ lime, juice
  • 1 x 400g block firm tofu, drained and cut into small cubes
 
For the salad:
  • 200g dried rice noodles (dry weight)
  • 4 handfuls lettuce, chopped
  • 2 carrots, sliced into matchsticks
  • 1 cucumber, sliced into matchsticks
  • 4tbsp sesame seeds
 
  1. Make the tofu marinade by combining the soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, chilli and lime juice. Place the cubed tofu in a bowl and cover in the marinade. Leave in the fridge for as long as possible, ideally overnight (it’s still delicious to cook with straight away but the flavour won’t be as strong).
  2. Preheat oven to 200C and grease a baking tray. Remove the tofu from the marinade and spread out evenly on the tray. Bake for 15 minutes, drizzle over some of the leftover marinade and shake the tofu around and bake for another 10 minutes. Add more marinade and bake for another 5 minutes (around 30 minutes in total).
  3. While the tofu is baking, cook the noodles according to the packet instructions and run under cold water once they’re cooked.
  4. Slice the carrots and cucumber and make the soy ginger dressing if you haven’t already got some to hand.
  5. Divide the noodles between two plates, arrange the vegetables around the outside, and top with the tofu and sesame seeds.
 

JAMAICAN JERK VEGETABLES WITH RICE AND BEANS

Rice and beans are a staple in Caribbean cuisine. They taste great and provide you with a great source of proteins and carbs. Combine them with jerk spiced vegetables and you have a delicious meal packed with nutrients. I love serving mine with Mango Salsa for added sweetness.
 
Serves 4
 
For the vegetables:
  • Jerk marinade – shop bought (see below) or homemade
  • 1 butternut squash, peeled and diced
  • 1 green pepper, diced
  • 1 red pepper, diced
  • 2 aubergines, diced
 
For the rice:
  • 200g wholegrain rice (dried weight)
  • ½ x 400ml can coconut milk
  • 1 garlic cloves, crushed
  • ½ tsp dried thyme
  • 8 spring onions, chopped
  • 2 x 400g can kidney beans (480g drained weight)

For the jerk marinade (combine the ingredients in a blender and mix to a smooth paste):
  • 8 spring onions, sliced
  • 1tbsp ginger, grated
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 2 scotch bonnet chillies, sliced
  • ½ tsp thyme
  • ¼ tsp cinnamon
  • 1tbsp all spice
  • ½ onion, diced
  • 1 lime, juice
  • 2tsbp honey
  • 2tbsp soy sauce
  • 2tbsp olive oil
 
  1. Preheat oven to 120C and make the marinade according to the recipe on page x if you’re making it yourself.
  2. Place chopped vegetables in a bowl and cover in the marinade. Leave for two hours to get a richer flavour. Empty the marinated vegetables onto a roasting tray and cook for 25-30 minutes or until the squash is tender.
  3. While the vegetables are roasting, prepare the rice by rinsing, placing in a pan with the coconut milk, garlic, thyme, and spring onions and adding just enough water to cover the rice. Bring to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes. Stir in the beans and simmer for another 5-10 minutes or until the rice is tender.
  4. Spoon the rice and beans into four bowls and serve with the jerk roasted vegetables on the side and Mango Salsa.​

HONEY OAT BANANA BREAD

Hearty, wholesome, moist, and not-too-sweet, this banana bread is perfect for a quick breakfast with a dollop of yogurt, elevenses with a cup of coffee, afternoon tea with a smothering of almond butter, or dessert with a scoop of ice cream. 
 
Makes 10-12 slices
 
  • 200g oat flour (pop oats in a blender until they become a fine powder)
  • 100g all-purpose flour
  • 2tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 100ml milk
  • 3tbsp (60g) honey
  • 300g banana, mashed (about 3 medium bananas)
  • 2 eggs
  • 2tbsp olive oil
  • 1tsp vanilla extract
  • 1tbsp brown sugar
 
  1. Heat oven to 180C and grease a line a loaf pan.
  2. Mix together the flours, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, mix together the milk, honey, mashed banana, eggs, olive oil and vanilla extract and, once mixed, add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.
  3. Mix until smooth and pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle brown sugar on top and bake for 35-45 minutes until the bread is risen, golden and cooked through.

CHOCOLATE BERRY BEAN CAKE

Using beans in cake recipes may seem weird but beans have been used in Chinese and Japanese baking for centuries to make cakes richer, denser and moister. Beans also add protein and give the cake a lovely earthiness which works beautifully with the chocolate and berries in this recipe. 
 
Makes 8-10 slices
 
  • 1 x 400g can kidney beans, drained (240g drained weight)
  • 75g butter or coconut oil
  • 100g all-purpose flour or rice flour
  • 50g cocoa powder
  • 1 ½ tsp baking powder
  • 120g light brown sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1tsp vanilla extract
  • 100g berries, fresh or frozen
 
  1. Preheat oven to 180 and oil and line a 20cm cake tin.
  2. Place the kidney beans in a blender and mix into a paste. Add to a bowl with the rest of the ingredients except the berries and mix to form a smooth batter.
  3. Stir through the berries, empty into the prepared tin and bake for 20-25 minutes. Leave to cool for 10 minutes in the tin before turning out.

CARROT CAKE COOKIES

Chewy, cakey, cinnamon-y, perfectly sweet, with a little walnutty crunch – these cookies will not disappoint. You can top them with cream cheese frosting to make them a little more indulgent or crumble them over ice cream to make a delicious sundae.
 
Makes 10-12
 
  • 100g oats
  • 100g all-purpose flour
  • 1 ½ tsp baking powder
  • 1tsp cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 30g butter or coconut oil, melted
  • 1 egg
  • 1tsp vanilla extract
  • 120ml maple syrup
  • 75g carrot, grated
  • 25g walnuts, chopped
  • 25g raisins
 
  1. Combine oats, flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in bowl and set to one side. In a separate bowl mix butter or coconut oil, egg, vanilla extract and maple syrup.
  2. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir through carrots, walnuts and raisins. Cover and leave in the fridge for at least 30 minutes so they hold their shape better when cooking.
  3. Heat oven to 180C and line a baking tray with baking paper.
  4. Scoop tablespoons of the mixture onto the tray, allowing a little room for the mixture to spread as it cooks, and bake for 12-15 minutes. The cookies will harden a little as they cool so make sure you don’t over bake them.
 

WANT MORE RECIPES? 

If you like these recipes then you can find lots more in Fear-Free Food. There's everything from salads and stir-fries to pizzas and pastas — and lots of delicious cakes and bakes too!

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