Sticky Grilled Salmon

I don't say this lightly.  This is OMG tasty!  A delicious way to eat salmon.  Quick tip, line any tray you use with foil, the excess coating will burn, also it's a good idea to open a door to the outside.

Quick Chorizo Salad

Sometimes you need something rapid to fill the gap after work.  Sometimes, you need something tasty but cannot honestly be fussed with much preparation.  This is where I almost always chop up some chorizo.

This is a lovely warm meets cold salad of chorizo, full of vegetables and flavour, definitely a super fast winner dinner!

Layered Chicken and Bean Salad

This is a great way to use up leftover lemon and rosemary chicken from yesterday.

Chicken with Lemon and Rosemary

This was a lovely chicken dish which cooked away while I went for a run but would also be great for a Sunday lunch for one.

I've made enough for two here but watch out and for tomorrow's recipe there will be a great leftover salad.  Fab for picnics or for a work lunch.

Quinoa, Asparagus and Green Beans

Quinoa, something I've come a little bit late to the party about really.  Whenever I'd seen it on a supermarket shelf, apart from being really expensive I'd wondered what the fuss had all been about but also filed it under "fad ingredient".  I'm not the kind of person who races towards the nearest "superfood".

However, I found a pack, it was much cheaper in price than I'd seen before and I tried it.  You know what?  It actually tastes pretty nice.  That was a surprise!

I paired it very simply with some griddled vegetables and a lemon vinaigrette.  Ok, not the healthiest thing due to the oil content but it tasted great and there are worse things in life to have than lots of lovely olive oil.

Prawn and Chorizo salad

I love warm salads, that mixture of the hot with the cold leaves and dressing which just entices you to dig in (and is really difficult to resist for 5 minutes while you take a photo).  This is no exception and contains two of my favourite ingredients; chorizo and prawns.

I add no oil to the dressing because plenty of fat comes out of the chorizo while you cook.  Adding more oil is unnecessary.

Tomato Salad with Herb Vinaigrette

This would be a great side dish for a barbecue or pot luck.  It is made though by having a selection of different tomatoes with their different flavours, textures and colours.  You could add in some sliced rings of shallot or onion if liked.

I've made the vinaigrette traditionally so it emulsifies.  The mustard helps and it's actually surprisingly easy.  For years I made it by the supposedly "easier" method of putting all the ingredients in a jar and shaking but it never really works properly.

I love this time of year when tomatoes are at their most fragrant.  Why not make something which really makes a star of them?

Prawn Noodles

Prawn Noodles was an attempt to "beat the takeaway" in both speed and nutrition.  My local takeaway, although lovely, is about 30 minutes waiting time and a bit high in fat.

This, while not really being healthy, has a hint of vegetables in it and a bit less oil.  What's great though is this is one of my 10 minute recipes so it definitely wins on time!

Pea and Ham Frittata

Frittata is a fab thing to use up the stuff in your fridge.  It's great warm or cold and fantastic for a picnic.

This is a vastly simplified version from most recipes which is a bit like a baked omelette but imagine it more as a quiche without the pastry.

I've used frozen peas but if you would like to use fresh, go for it, just cook them lightly first.

Beef Noodles

I had a really small steak left in the freezer the other day. The good thing about making steak into a salad or into a stir fry is a little goes a long way.  This is great for your health (red meat is good but too much isn't, even better if the red meat is being bulked out with vegetables) but also great for your pocket.

The inspiration for this was fried crispy beef.  This is not crispy before you get excited but it was as tasty and if anything more satisfying than the original recipe but also vastly healthier.

Halloumi and Tomato Salad

This recipe was inspired by the Italian Salad Insalate Caprese.  In this heat it has been far too muggy to eat heavy food.  Something about the intensely salty halloumi made me think "this will work" and you know?  It did!  The saltiness really brought out the flavour of the tomatoes.

For the best flavour, allow your tomatoes to come to room temperature first.