Sunday In Food

Over summer I've noticed a real improvement in the quality of my cooking, not necessarily due to any particular change in skill, simply an increased passion for cooking and really thinking about flavours, ingredients and how I can tweak recipes. So I thought, given that its a Sunday and therefore you're likely to have a little more time than usual to whip up something delicious, I'd share with you three of my latest culinary successes. Conveniently enough breakfast, Sunday lunch and dinner recipes, perfect for a truly indulgent Sunday.

Stackable, delectable, gluten free, dairy free pancakes.

What a mouthful! This delicious breakfast is not only nowhere near as calorific and unhealthy as it looks, but is gluten and dairy free, and requires only about a fifteen minute chunk out of your Sunday lay in. To make enough pancakes for two you'll need two eggs, a medium banana, a cup of gluten free oats and any toppings you like (chopped nuts and fruit are my personal favourite). Simply whiz the banana up in a food processor or by hand, add the eggs and blend until smooth. Grind the oats in a spice grinder, add to the egg mixture, and blend until incorporated (if you like, thin with any milk/milk alternative of your choice). Fry in vegetable or coconut oil on a low heat until cooked through, about five to seven minutes on each side, and stack up one at a time popping your toppings in between each layer. Delicious!

Gammon, eggs, and root vegetable chips.

The perfect alternative to a traditional Sunday roast, with all the flavour and veg, and a lot less hassle. Boil the gammon joint along with a roughly chopped onion, carrot and bay leaf for an hour (this makes amazing stock!). Meanwhile chop a mixture of sweet potatoes, potatoes, and optionally parsnips and carrots into wedges and toss into a baking tray. Drizzle with olive oil and (heavily) season with mixed herbs and ground pepper, and a little salt, then pop into the oven at 200C for forty-five minutes. Once the gammon is cooked, cut into thick slices and brush each slice with mustard, then put in the oven for a few minutes on each side while you fry or poach your eggs and boil your peas. Serve up and feast away!

Warming, spicy, parsnip soup.

Now this recipe I can't take credit for, and is in fact by the fantabulous Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, from his 'Veg Everyday' cookbook. To make enough for two bowls, chop one medium/small onion and two medium parsnips into small pieces. Fry the onion in a tablespoon of oil until soft then add one clove of garlic and a thumb sized piece of ginger both finely chopped, along with an eighth of a teaspoon of mixed spice, quarter of a teaspoon of ground cumin and a teensy amount of chilli powder to taste. Stir in the parsnips and 400ml of vegetable stock (or the stock from your boiled gammon) and simmer for around ten to fifteen minutes, before leaving to cool and blending. Reheat gently adding 100ml of skimmed milk and seasoning to taste, serve, and enjoy this lovely warming bowl of soup with a good book.