Easy healthy recipes from Deliciously Ella’s new cookbook

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“The best thing about batch cooking is that the flavours of the dish tend to get better the longer they marinate, so the leftovers are always a real treat, and this is certainly the case in this recipe,” says Ella Mills, the brains behind Deliciously Ella.

“It’s hearty and cosy, with lovely spices from the harissa, sweetness from the coconut and maple syrup, and a delicious nutty flavour from the almonds. The aubergine gives it great texture, while the beans ensure it really fills you up. It’s great on its own for a light supper, or for something a bit more substantial serve it with jasmine rice, jacket potatoes or crispy roast cauliflower.”

Creamy black bean, harissa and almond butter stew

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil

2 shallots, halved and finely sliced

1 aubergine, finely diced into 1cm cubes

4 garlic cloves, crushed

1 × 400g tin of black beans, drained and rinsed

3 tbsp harissa, plus further to serve

1 × 400ml tin of coconut milk

400ml scorching vegetable inventory

2 heaped tbsp clean almond butter

2 tsp maple syrup

Grated zest and juice of two juicy limes

Sea salt and black pepper

Method:

1. Put the olive oil into a big frying pan over a medium warmth, add the shallot and aubergine and a pinch of salt and fry for 5 minutes, till tender. Add the garlic, black beans and harissa and fry for 2 minutes, till aromatic.

2. Pour within the coconut milk, inventory, almond butter and maple syrup. Bring to a boil, then put the lid on the pan and switch the warmth right down to a simmer. Cook for quarter-hour, till the sauce has thickened.

3. Stir within the lime zest and juice and season with salt and pepper to style. Swirl an additional tablespoon of harissa via the stew to serve (if you happen to’d like somewhat further spice).

Note: To make crispy roast cauliflower, merely chop your cauliflower into small florets, place them on a baking tray with a tablespoon or so of olive oil and a sprinkling of salt and roast in an oven preheated to 200ºC fan for about 20–25 minutes, till golden and crispy.

“My girls love this recipe too, so when I’m cooking it for the family I hold off on the harissa and stir it into the adult portions once I’ve served the little ones.”

Crispy potato and paprika tray bake

“Crispy, crunchy, hearty and super-simple, this tray bake is the ideal recipe when you want something satisfying without lots of prep, mess or brain space!” says Mills.

“The zesty harissa yoghurt is really versatile too; it makes for a great dip or dressing with any veg.”

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

3 floury potatoes, comparable to Maris Piper (about 350g), with their pores and skin

½ tbsp olive oil

2 purple onions, halved and finely sliced

2 tsp paprika

1 punnet of cherry tomatoes (about 200g)

1 × 400g tin of butter beans, drained

½ bunch of coriander (about 10-15g), roughly chopped

Sea salt

For the harissa yoghurt:

4 tbsp coconut yoghurt

2 tbsp harissa

Grated zest and juice of two limes, plus wedges to serve

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 220C fan and produce a big saucepan of salted water to the boil.

2. Cut the potatoes into one-centimetre cubes then add them to the boiling water. Meanwhile, put the olive oil into a big flat baking tray and place within the oven to warmth up. Simmer the potatoes for 5 minutes, till softened barely and a knife pierces them simply, then drain properly and add them to the preheated tray together with the onion, paprika and a pinch of sea salt. Toss to mix, then bake for 20 minutes, tossing often in order that the potatoes cook dinner evenly.

3. Add the cherry tomatoes and butter beans to the tray and cook dinner for an additional 5 minutes till the tomatoes are tender and the potatoes are crisp.

4. Meanwhile make the harissa yoghurt by mixing the coconut yoghurt, harissa, lime zest and juice collectively in a small bowl, seasoning with salt to style, then switch to a small serving bowl.

5. Once the potatoes are prepared, take away from the oven, sprinkle over the coriander and serve with the harissa yoghurt on the facet.

Lemony pea and broccoli pasta

“I make a variation of this for my kids a lot, using whatever greens I have in the fridge – green beans, asparagus, spinach etc. It’s exceptionally simple yet super-satisfying,” says Mills.

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

2 servings of pasta; I like orecchiette on this dish (about 75g per individual)

1 small head broccoli (about 300g) lower into small florets

100g frozen peas

Large handful of cashews (about 50g, see be aware beneath)

1 vegetable inventory dice

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1 tbsp dietary yeast

Grated zest and juice of two lemons

1 × 400g tin of butter beans, drained and rinsed

Sea salt and black pepper

Method:

1. Bring a big saucepan of salted water to the boil and add the pasta. Cook in keeping with the directions on the pack, including the broccoli and frozen peas for the final three minutes of the cooking time. Cook till the pasta is al dente, the broccoli is tender, and the peas are defrosted, then drain and return to the pan.

2. Meanwhile, put the cashews and inventory dice right into a bowl with 100 millilitres boiling water, let the inventory dice dissolve and the cashews soak for 5 minutes.

3. Put the mustard, dietary yeast, the juice of each lemons and half the zest, and half the tin of butter beans right into a high-speed blender together with the cashews and their soaking liquid. Blend till you will have a clean, creamy sauce. Season with salt and pepper to style.

4. Pour the sauce over the drained pasta and veg, including the final half of the butter beans. Stir to mix and prime with somewhat further lemon zest.

Note: To make this nut-free, swap the cashews for sunflower seeds.

‘Deliciously Ella: Healthy Made Simple’ by Ella Mills (Yellow Kite, £22).