Squash, chicken & couscous one-pot

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp harissa paste
• 1 tsp each ground cumin and ground coriander
• 2 red onions, halved and cut into thin wedges
• 2 skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized chunks
• 1 small butternut squash, cut into 1cm chunks (no need to peel)
• 2 x 400g cans tomatoes
• zest and juice 2 lemons
• 200g cherry tomatoes, halved
• 140g couscous
• small bunch coriander, roughly chopped

• Method

  1. Heat a large non-stick casserole dish or pan on the hob. Add the harissa, spices and onions, stir and cook gently for 10 mins until soft. Add chicken and brown for 5-10 mins. Add squash, stirring to combine, and a splash of water if it starts to stick. Cook for 5 mins more.
  2. Tip canned tomatoes into the pan with ½ can of water, cover and simmer for 20-30 mins. Add the lemon zest and juice, cherry tomatoes, couscous and seasoning. Cover and turn off the heat. Leave on the hob for 10 mins, then stir through the coriander and serve.

Cheap-as-chips veggie pizza

Ingredients

• 200g carton passata
• pack of 5 large Middle Eastern flatbreads
• ½ x 750g bag frozen spinach, defrosted
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 3 balls mozzarella, patted dry and torn
• 5 medium eggs
• freshly grated nutmeg
• small bunch basil
• shaved parmesan (or vegetarian alternative), to serve

Method

1. Heat the oven to as high as it will go. Spread 1-2 tbsp of passata over each flatbread. Squeeze as much water as you can from the spinach (this will prevent your pizzas from being soggy), then scatter on top, leaving a gap in the centre. Divide the garlic and mozzarella between the pizzas, seasoning generously as you go.
2. You will probably only be able to bake 2 pizzas at a time. So put 2 on a baking tray, carefully crack an egg into the middle of each, and season with nutmeg and some of the basil. Bake for 7 mins until the cheese has melted and the egg is cooked to your liking.
3. Repeat with the remaining pizzas and ingredients. Serve, garnished with a little more basil and some Parmesan. Cut into slices and share between everyone.

Chocolate birthday cake

products

140 g butter, plus extra for the tin

175 g golden caster sugar

2 eggs

225 g self- raising wholemeal flour

50 g of cocoa powder

¼ teaspoon saleratus

250 g yogurt

decoration

300 g golden caster sugar, sifted

2 tablespoons cocoa powder , sifted

1 tablespoon butter, melted

3-4 tablespoons boiling water

50 g each white , smooth and milky chocolate, broken into squares

Preheat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4 . Butter and line the base of 18 x 28 cm cake tin or tray. Put butter and sugar in a bowl , beat with electric hand beaters until light and fluffy . Add the eggs a little at a time , beating between each addition.

Sift flour , cocoa and baking soda in a bowl , then tip in any bran left in the sieve. Pour in the yogurt. Mix everything until smooth and spoon mixture into the prepared tin. Bake for 20-25 minutes until just firm and squeeze the sides of the box. Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then on wire rack to cool completely .

For the icing , sieve the icing sugar and cocoa into a bowl , then pour in the oil and 2 tablespoons of freshly boiled water. Stir until smooth, spreadable consistency . if too stiff, very carefully add a little boiling water, drop by drop.

Spread the icing on the top of the cake using a palette knife immersed in hot water . Will keep in an airtight container up to 1 week .

Melt the chocolate in three different cups in the microwave per day for 1 min or over a saucepan of simmering water. Spoon melted chocolate into three plastic bags , disposable piping . Snip the ends and tubes 12 simple shapes on top of the cake. Allow to harden . Just before serving, cut the cake 12 squares and press the candles .