When bananas have gone past their best for eating, I bung them straight in the freezer. This makes them turn black on the outside and a little sludgy on the inside, but all the better for cooking with. Mushed up with eggs and flour, they make a perfect pancake batter base. And once you have … Read More
Quick and easy to make, you’ll wonder why you ever bought them! We love them with curry or tagine in our house, and you can whip up a batch to make a quick wrap or burrito if you fancy something fusion. Alex Thurman – Feed the Brood 6-8 flatbreadsServes 6-8Flatbreads5 minPrep Time 10 minCook Time … Read More
Tiny little baby hands need a solid lump to pick up, so drying out porridge to make little bars of wholesome goodness is the genius way to overcome the problem! I am on a mission to waste as little as possible and cut down the airmiles of our food, so I always freeze any bananas … Read More
A real crowd-pleaser with all ages, eggy bread is great one to keep up your sleeve for a fun breakfast, or a quick lunch. I have found the perfect dish to soak my bread. Until now, I was always trying to figure out how not to man-handle the bread so that it broke when I … Read More
When muddy wellies, red wine and warm fires are giving you the winter feelings, this is a gorgeous slow cook to lean into. I love the combination of paprika and soured cream, it reminds me of a simple pork goulash I learned to do as a student. Posh student, I was. Use a cheaper cut … Read More
It was during lockdown when I started to make my own burger buns. We were having a bbq almost every night, and one evening we were scratching around for something to have with homemade burgers. I decided to experiment with making some basic buns. Et voila! I discovered that a novice can crack out a … Read More
No matter how bare the cupboards are, I always seem to be able to whip up something from the South American style of cooking. This quick bean wrap is made with my favourite beans, the black bean, but you could substitute any kind of bean. In fact, you can mix any of these ingredients up … Read More
So-called because you top it with leftover roast potatoes from the weekend. I made this alongside a beef cottage pie and it was already so tasty. I’m hoping you testers can suggest a few changes to get the lentils banging. Then I’ll think of something witty to say in the forenote. Alex Thurman – Feed … Read More
“Shall I peel the whole bag of spuds?” is a question that never needs answering in our house anymore. Yes, of course, because I LOVE leftover roasties! Last weekend the children weren’t feeling the roasties for some reason and we ended up with a gargantuan box of roasties and parsnips to attempt to hide in … Read More
I must admit, I was planning to make a beef Massaman when I went to the shop to grab the usual Bart’s paste I use, but it was out of stock. So, scratching around for a curry paste that would work well with the beef I’d already bought, I found The Spice Tailor’s Beef Rendang … Read More
Slow cooking inexpensive cuts of meats is the budget way to eat like a king. Here the method of slow cooking the meat in a rub rather than submerged in liquid creates a far tougher end result in comparison to most other slow-cooked meats, but it carries a whole lot of flavour that will make … Read More
Inspired by something I saw online, I’ve been meaning to create a vegan chilli for a while now. It seems that quinoa not only behaves well when slow-cooked, but is the perfect texture to bulk out a spicy bean dish such as a chilli. We often have friends and family over for birthday parties that … Read More
I N S T A N T M E A L // This one cooks in the same amount of time it takes to cook the pasta! It was a club night tonight. No, not the kind when you stumble through the door stinking of stale lager and the onset of poverty brought on by … Read More
Everyone has their way of doing a spag bol recipe, don’t they? And it all depends on the time you have available to you. If you’ve planned something low and slow, you can include some braising steak or chuck and make a chunky ragu. But if you’ve only got time for something speedy, you stick … Read More
Cor blimey I love a curry and this did not disappoint. It was super mild, so if you’re looking for heat, inject some chilli to your own taste for you spice lovers. I added homemade naan, cheeky little poppadoms to help the kids get enthusiastic, paneer for my cheese-loving husband and roasted chicken thighs for … Read More
Pulled pork is cheap, easy and so tasty. Last year, my sister-in-law turned 50, and although we wanted to throw her a big shindig, we didn’t really have any budget. But serving up pulled pork in my slow cooker with briche buns, coleslaw and tasty crackling on the side was such an easy win, we … Read More
Totally addicted to overnight oats at the moment. 🍓I know it’s trendy right now and perhaps that’s a bit urgh, but something this easy to make, delicious to eat and insanely healthy for you has got to be a win win! Alex Thurman – Feed the Brood Overnight Oats Extraordinaire2 minPrep Time 2 min … Read More
Alex Thurman – Feed the Brood 3 pizzasHomemade Pizza20 minPrep Time 20 minCook Time 40 min Save Recipe Print Recipe Ingredients350g Plain Flour + extra for rolling out2 tsp Baking Powder1 tbsp Olive OilGlass of WaterPinch of SaltInstructionsMix the flour and salt together in a big mixing bowl along with the oil, then add tiny … Read More
I couldn’t believe it yesterday dinner time. It was the first time all the children were ok with gnocchi. And it just goes to show that repeated offerings help children to gain familiarity and increase their likelihood of eating something. I made up the bake with chorizo and a cheesy sauce – two ingredients that … Read More
Always on the lookout for veggie recipes that don’t compromise on flavour? Biryani is a no brainier. Being a fan of lots of washing up, I added roasted curried salmon and curried smoked tofu so that there was something on the table for everyone. I try to include salmon in our menu once a week … Read More
MASTERPLAN WEEK 8 Serves 4-6225ZAATAR SALMON TRAYBAKEI discovered Zaatar when I was cruising the spice section in my online shop and decided I liked the sound of sesame seeds and oregano together. So my first experiment with it was on a salmon traybake and the rest is history! It’s delicious! I’m using tinned new potatoes … Read More
MASTERPLAN WEEK 8 Serves 10359SAUSAGE AND WHITE BEAN STEWHave you noticed how amazing the texture of a slow-cooked sausage is? Well, you’re about to find out. I think the subtle combination of honey and thyme make brilliant friends on the plate to give this traditional dish a new, family-friendly twist. This is a slow cooker … Read More
MASTERPLAN WEEK 8 Serves 10132OVEN BAKED MEATBALLSHandmade meatballs might seem a bit of a faff, but I’m implementing the oven again here to help make up a batch for next week too. Just make sure you’ve got enough sauce to dunk them in – this will moisten them up when they come out of the … Read More
MASTERPLAN WEEK 7 Serves 4-6318SARDINE FISHCAKESTinned sardines are an acquired taste, but in these fishcakes, they will win everyone over. You’ll be surprised at how little else is needed to accompany these badboys, but they’re like a complete meal in one fistful! And cheap as chips too! You’re welcome 🙂 20 min Save Recipe Print … Read More
MASTERPLAN WEEK 7 Serves 10293LAMB KOFTASThis is a lamb version of fajitas – so put the time and effort into making the koftas and the only job left to do is get tubs out of the fridge and onto the table. I use ordinary wraps for my koftas instead of flatbreads, as they don’t crumble … Read More
MASTERPLAN WEEK 7 Serves 10284CHICKEN TRAYBAKEChicken traybake is the totem meal for Feed the Brood. It’s the perfect family meal! You can add anything you fancy into a chicken traybake and it will always turn out lush. I’ve added chorizo to this one, so it has a tasty spice to it. I get the mild … Read More
MASTERPLAN WEEK 6 Serves 4-61073STICKY BEEF STIR FRYI made this dish up when I wanted to get away with having steak for tea more often! I love steak. Drool. Anyway, you’ll be impressed with just how amazingly quick and easy this dish is and by how quickly the kids can fling egg noodles on every … Read More
MASTERPLAN WEEK 6 Serves 10124PRAWN AND PEA RISOTTOOK, so this one really IS a labour of love unless you want to use the microwave. Risotto requires constant stirring, so you’ve got to put the love in. But, the love you put in, you will get back in droves. It’s my eldest son’s favourite dish and … Read More
MASTERPLAN WEEK 6 Serves 10365SIMPLE SAUSAGE PASTAGet ready to see the potential of sausages in a brand new way. Cutting them open and frying off the meat in a big flat pan will get them cooked in next to no time! You may need to batch cook the sausages depending on the size of your … Read More
MASTERPLAN WEEK 5 Serves 4-6382CHILLI PRAWN LINGUINEThis is such a simple dish you’ll be wondering what’s missing – until you taste it! If you adore spice, you can add as much as you like at the table without upsetting any tiny people! 15 min Save Recipe Print Recipe Ingredientslinguine (90g uncooked per adult, 50g per … Read More
MASTERPLAN WEEK 5 Serves 10398SLOW COOKED LAMB ROGAN JOSHThis feels like such an authentic curry from the take away and that’s why I love it so much. Adding lemon at the end is the trick that makes me feel like a proper foodie who knows her shizz. Once again, this is done in the slow … Read More
MASTERPLAN WEEK 5 Serves 10403LAZY CHICKEN FAJITASMost families I know do fajitas regularly, but this is my lazy version -it’s all done in the oven. All the hard work you have to do is the fridge Tetris getting all the tubs and jars in and out! Oh, and there’s a tiny bit of chopping too, … Read More
MASTERPLAN WEEK 4 Serves 4-6315TANDOORI SALMON FEASTThis dish came about when my step-mum gave me a kilo bag of tandoori spice and I had no idea what to do with it. She used it for chicken on the barbie, so I started using it for that and tried it out with fish. It goes brilliantly … Read More
MASTERPLAN WEEK 4 Serves 10464SLOW COOKED VEGGIE TAGINEThis starts out a bit plain, but when you layer feta and pine nuts on top, you’ve got a delicious stew that will stun even the most sceptical of veggie haters. Again, if you fancy cooking the quinoa yourself, please do, but remember to allow the cooking time … Read More
MASTERPLAN WEEK 4 Serves 10330MEATLOAFLike a bat outta hell, I’ll be gone when the morning comes! No, but seriously, this is such an amazing dish that is bound to make it in your top five! It’s definitely a labour of love, but I have one key piece of advice for you: keep the portion for … Read More
MASTERPLAN WEEK 3 Serves 4-6365THAI GREEN NOODLE SOUPWe love to mess about with chopsticks in our house and although it’s super-messy, it’s also super-fun! There may look like a lot of ingredients for this noodle soup, but it’s really a case of bunging them all into the pot and letting the paste do the work. … Read More
MASTERPLAN WEEK 3 Serves 10231HONEY AND MUSTARD CHICKEN TRAYBAKESweet and sticky chicken served with a hot baguette on the side feels like a French treat of epic proportions. And here we are on a weekday snaffling away as if we’re on holiday. You might even want to crack out the wine if you’re feeling the … Read More
MASTERPLAN WEEK 3 Serves 10126PORK AND CIDER STEWThis is another slow-cooker recipe, so again, get your head in gear at breakfast and you’ll have a brilliant dinner on your return. Slow cooking the carrots and potatoes in cider gives you amazingly sweet and mushy textures like a soup, so think about serving with some crunchy … Read More
Serves 4-6345TUNA ARRABIATAHow to jazz up tuna pasta? It’s all about the garlic and lemon. And if you’re a chilli lover like me, add some chilli oil to the table for a proper nose-blowing extravaganza afterwards! 12 min Save Recipe Print Recipe Ingredientspasta (90g uncooked per adult, 50g per child)2 tbsp olive oil100g frozen onion50g … Read More
MASTERPLAN WEEK 2 Serves 10243HARISSA BEEF TAGINEThis dish is slow cooked, so make sure you’re on it in the morning to get it all on before you head out. What I love about this dish is the depth of flavour considering how little time you have to put the preparation! Be mindful of the spice … Read More
MASTERPLAN WEEK 2 Serves 10373LAMB KEEMATo my surprise, this has been one of my most popular meals online. I think it might be because it’s shares qualities from the beloved spag bol and the UK’s favourite dish, the curry. And the best thing about this dish is that you can cook up a double batch … Read More
MASTERPLAN WEEK 1 Serves 4-6435COUSCOUS PAELLACouscous is my favourite go-to carb. It’s so quick to make and generates no washing up at all if you make it straight into the bowl you’re going to serve it up in. A touch of turmeric gives it the classic paella colour and I personally think that the yoghurt … Read More
MASTERPLAN WEEK 1 Serves 4-61258SALMON EGG FRIED RICERice, fish, eggs and veg… What’s not to love?But if the children are fussy about this as a one-pot dish, cook each item separately and serve up like a fun feast so that everyone can build their own bowl! Make it super fun and everyone will be chomping … Read More
MASTERPLAN WEEK 1 Serves Serves 4-6724WHIRLWIND GNOCCHIGnocchi cooks in only a few minutes and you’ll be amazed at how quickly this meal will come together! Using cream cheese, Borsin, mascarpone or ricotta straight from the fridge onto hot pasta is the perfect way to make a creamy sauce in an instant. Then open the fridge … Read More
MASTERPLAN WEEK 1 Serves Serves 10605SAUSAGE & SWEET POTATO TRAYBAKEAdding poached eggs to this traybake is the magic touch that creates a sauce and much needed lubrication! You may find that younger children aren’t keen on the eggs, and that’s fine, as it’s an added extra. When this dish freezes, the vegetables will break down … Read More
MASTERPLAN WEEK 1 Serves Serves 10333Handsfree Chicken CurryI call this my ‘handsfree’ curry because unlike most curries, it’s made as a traybake in the oven, so that I can get busy with jobs whilst it cooks! Baking it in the oven also makes it insanely easy to double up and add a batch to the … Read More
