REAL SUPER FOODS

As a nation, we throw away an estimated £13billion worth of fresh food every year. So I’m all for the Government’s plan to scrap requirements for hundreds of food items to carry use-by dates.

It could mean these dates are put only on foods that pose a health risk if they are kept for too long.

Instead, consumers will be expected to use their common sense to judge whether products are still edible.

That’s why I’ve come up with this super-simple recipe to use up vegetables that are just ‘on the turn’ – meaning slightly soft, but still good to eat.

And if you have any spinach or greens that need using soon, don’t be afraid to add them in for the last ten minutes of cooking.

INGREDIENTS (serves 4):

2 small aubergines 2 courgettes 2 tbsp olive oil 1 large onion, sliced 1 clove garlic, crushed 1 green pepper, sliced 1 red pepper, sliced 6 tomatoes, quartered 2 slurps Worcestershire sauce 2 tsp sugar Freshly ground black pepper Pinch of ground coriander 1 tbsp chopped fresh basil

Wash courgettes and aubergines and cut into bite-size pieces. Heat half the oil in a large, lidded saucepan and cook onions and garlic on a low heat until soft. Add the aubergine and fry until soft but not brown. Add rest of the oil, peppers and courgettes and cook over low heat for 25 minutes. Add the tomato, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, black pepper and coriander and then cook, covered, for a further 20 minutes. Sprinkle with basil and serve hot.