This page is a collection of recipes I’ve cooked and enjoyed.

Cranks Carrot Soup

With Lime, Coriander, Coconut and Spinach

  • 1kg carrots, sliced
  • 1 onion, cut up
  • 1 tbsp boullion powder
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 50g almonds
  • 25g creamed coconut
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • 250g fresh spinach
  • Greek yoghurt / creme fraiche / sour cream
  • Fresh coriander leaves
  • Chunk of fresh coconut (optional)
  • salt & pepper

Put carrot + onion + boullion powder + garlic in pressure cooker with salt. Cook for ~10 minutes. Blend. Add coconut + lime + spinach. Serve with dollop of yoghurt.

Nigel Slater’s Harissa Chickpeas

  • 6 large tomatoes
  • Medium sized aubergine
  • Olive Oil
  • Red wine vinegar ~50ml
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 800g / 2 tins chickpeas
  • ~12 large basil leaves For dressing:
  • Harissa paste
  • Olive oil

In a roatsting tin combine:

  • Tomatoes cut into largish pieces
  • Aubergine cut into short chunks
  • Olive oil, vinegar, cumin seeds, Roast until tomatoes are browned (about 1 hour)

Mix with chickpeas + harissa + olive oil + basil leaves.

Cranks baby brussels

  • 500g of smallest new potatos
  • 500g of baby Brussels sprouts
  • Garlic
  • Butter
  • Parsley
  • Parmesan cheese

Cook potatoes for ~10 minutes in boiling water. Then add Brussels sprouts for 3-4 minutes. Melt butter in pot + add garlic + salt + pepper. Add chopped parsley. Serve w/ shaved parmesan over the top

Four corners lentil stew with sesame rice

Lentils:

  • 1 cup red lentils
  • 2 tablespoons ghee (or coconut)
  • 1 large onion
  • 5 cloves garlic
  • 1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
  • 1 tbsp ground cumin
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne
  • 400g can plum tomatos
  • 1 lemon sliced in rounds
  • 3 cups vegetable stock
  • Chopped fresh cilantro or scallions

Rice:

  • 1 cup short-grain brown rice

  • 1/4 cup sesame seeds

  • Heat oil, add onion until cooked.
  • Add garlic, ginger, cumin and cayenne
  • Stir in tomatoes + a few lemon slices
  • Add stock + lentils Simmer until cooked ~30 minutes
  • Cook rice
  • Toast sesame seeds in small skillet
  • Mix!

Kimchi Couscous

  • 1 cup couscous

  • 1/2 cup kimchi

  • Cook couscous (boil water / make stock, add couscous + oil, turn off, cover, leave for 10 mins)
  • Fry kimchi ~ 3 minutes Mix! And add salt + pepper to taste. Garnish with cilantro.

Mushroom, Tomato and White Bean Stew

  • 2 medium onions
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp ground fennel seeds
  • pinch dried sage
  • 350g cremini mushrooms
  • 1/4 cup chicken stock
  • 400g can of cannellini beans
  • 400g can of diced tomatos
  • 1/2 cup chopped flat leaf parsley

  • Grated Parmesan cheese

  • Cook onion, garlic, thyme, fennel seeds, sage ~8 minutes
  • Stir in mushrooms + stock. Simmer for 5 mins
  • Add beans, tomatoes, parsley, cover and simmer for 10 minutes
  • Serve with brown rice or whole wheat pasta

Barley Salad with Broiled Feta and Tomatos

  • 250g Feta
  • 250g small ripe tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup pitted black olives
  • 1/4 chopped fresh herbs (oregano, thyme, rosemary)
  • 1 cup pearled barley
  • 2 cups water
  • 2 ripe avocados
  • 1 cucumber
  • 2 cups fresh basil leaves

  • Fresh lemon juice

  • Preheat oven to 400F (200C)
  • Combine feta, tomatoes, olives, herbs, and olive oil on a foil lined baking sheet. Mix & bake until feta is melted and tomatoes are brown
  • Cook barley, and place in a salad bowl
  • Add avocados, cucumber, basil, lemon juice and combine.
  • Stir in feta mixture
  • Season with salt and pepper.

Sourdough pancakes w/ Ricotta and Honey + Mint

  • 100g leftover sourdough starter
  • Ricotta or Cottage cheese
  • Honey

  • Mint

  • Fry up sourdough starter like a pancake
  • Put other stuff on top
  • Eat it.

Cumin and mustard seed lentil pie

  • Olive oil
  • 2 tbsp mustard seeds
  • A handful (about 20) curry leaves, fresh if you can get them
  • 2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
  • 1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp cumin seeds, bashed
  • 1 tbsp of coriander seeds
  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely sliced
  • 1 thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled and finely chopped
  • 1 x 400g tin of puy lentils, drained, or 250g home-cooked lentils
  • 1 x 400g tin of tomatoes
  • 1 tsp vegetable stock powder, or ½ a stock cube
  • 2 dates (I use medjool)
  • 1 red chilli, deseeded and chopped
  • 1 lemon
  • Flaky salt
  • 2 medium cauliflowers (about 1kg, once leaves removed)
  • 1 tbsp coconut or olive oil

  1. Get all your ingredients together. Fill and boil your kettle. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/gas mark 6 .

  2. In a large, heavy pan, add a good glug of oil. Get it nice and hot, add the mustard seeds and curry leaves, then cook for a couple of minutes until the mustard seeds pop. Take the pan off the heat, reserve half the seeds and leaves, then put the pan with the remaining mixture back on the heat.

  3. Add the carrots and onions to the pan and cook for another 10-15 minutes, or until soft, sweet and nicely browned. Add the cumin, coriander, garlic and ginger, then cook for 3-4 minutes to toast the spices and allow the garlic and ginger to release their oils. Take care that the garlic doesn’t burn.

  4. Add the drained lentils, tomatoes, stock and half a tin of hot water from the kettle. Roughly chop the dates and add to the pan with the chopped chilli and the zest of half the lemon. Season with salt and simmer on a medium heat for 25 minutes, or until thick, rich and flavourful.

  5. Meanwhile, make the cauliflower mash. Break the cauliflower into florets and slice the stalk (you can use this, too) and add the whole lot to a lidded pan with about 2cm of water in the bottom. Put on a high heat and steam until the cauliflower is tender – about 10 minutes. Drain well, then put back on the heat for a minute to dry the cauliflower out. Allow it to cool a little, then blitz in a food processor with the coconut oil and a big pinch of salt. When you have a silky smooth mash, fold in the reserved mustard seeds and curry leaves.

  6. When the lentils are ready, squeeze in the juice of the lemon and mix well. Spoon them into an ovenproof dish (about 20x25cm). Top with the cauliflower mash and bake for 20 minutes, or until the tips of the mash are golden and the lentils are bubbling.

Arugula goats cheese pasta

Make this when you have people over and they get hungry. Takes as long as the pasta takes to cook.

  • Pasta
  • Onions
  • Garlic
  • Mushrooms
  • Arugula

Fry up the onions and garlic, add the mushrooms. Meanwhile, cook the pasta and put in a bowl. Pour in lots of olive oil + salt. Wilt the arugula in with the pasta then add the goats cheese and mix in the mushrooms. Serve liberally salted and peppered.

Spinach yoghurt onion muffins

  • Onion
  • Cooked Spinach (or from frozen)
  • 200g flour
  • 1 cup yoghurt
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tbsp Baking powder

  • Salt

  • some cherry tomatos for topping

Other ideas to add:

  • with nuts (walnuts)
  • finely cut brocolli
  • caramelized onions

Mix all ingredients, then add flour + baking powder. Put into muffin tin and add a single cherry tomato to each. Bake for ~25 minutes @400F until brown on top

Instant pot carrot and lentil soup

  • A bunch of carrots
  • about 3/4 cup of lentils
  • garlic
  • ginger
  • onions
  • ~3 cups vegetable broth of some kind
  • salt

Sautee onions, add garlic, add ginger, add carrots + lentils and fry for a bit until everything is a bit soft. Add vegetable broth Instant pot for 10 minutes, natural release. Then blend everything and serve with garnish of caramelized onions and cream.