Bold and delicious
Ella Mills, the brains behind Deliciously Ella food empire, has a new book devoted to making healthy eating easier – and simplifying life in the kitchen. Here are three meals you can create in minutes.
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 Ella 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, such as Maris Piper (about 350g), with their skin; ½tbsp olive oil; 2 red onions, halved and finely sliced; 2tsp 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: 4tbsp coconut yoghurt; 2tbsp harissa; Grated zest and juice of 2 limes, plus wedges to serve
Preheat the oven to 220C fan and bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil.
Cut the potatoes into one-centimetre cubes then add them to the boiling water. Meanwhile, put the olive oil into a large flat baking tray and place in the oven to heat up.
Simmer the potatoes for five minutes, until softened slightly and a knife pierces them easily, then drain well and add them to the preheated tray along with the onion, paprika and a pinch of sea salt. Toss to combine, then bake for 20 minutes, tossing occasionally so that the potatoes cook evenly.
Add the cherry tomatoes and butter beans to the tray and cook for a further five minutes until the tomatoes are soft and the potatoes are crisp.
Meanwhile make the harissa yoghurt by mixing the coconut yoghurt, harissa, lime zest and juice together in a small bowl, seasoning with salt to taste, then transfer to a small serving bowl.
Once the potatoes are ready, remove from the oven, sprinkle over the coriander and serve with the harissa yoghurt on the side.
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 Ella.
Serves 2. Ingredients: 2 servings of pasta; I like orecchiette in this dish (about 75g per person); 1 small head broccoli (about 300g) cut into small florets; 100g frozen peas; Large handful of cashews (about 50g, see note below); 1 vegetable stock cube; 1tsp Dijon mustard; 1tbsp nutritional yeast; Grated zest and juice of 2 lemons; 1 × 400g tin of butter beans, drained and rinsed; Sea salt and black pepper
Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil and add the pasta. Cook according to the instructions on the pack, adding the broccoli and frozen peas for the last three minutes of the cooking time.
Cook until the pasta is al dente, the broccoli is tender, and the peas are defrosted, then drain and return to the pan.
Meanwhile, put the cashews and stock cube into a bowl with 100 millilitres boiling water, let the stock cube dissolve and the cashews soak for five minutes.
Put the mustard, nutritional yeast, the juice of both lemons and half the zest, and half the tin of butter beans into a high-speed blender along with the cashews and their soaking liquid.
Blend until you have a smooth, creamy sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Pour the sauce over the drained pasta and veg, adding the last half of the butter beans. Stir to combine and top with a little extra lemon zest.
■ Note: To make this nut-free, swap the cashews for sunflower seeds.
Creamy black bean, harissa and almond butter stew
“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.
“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.”
Serves 4. Ingredients: 1tbsp 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; 3tbsp harissa, plus extra to serve; 1 × 400ml tin of coconut milk; 400ml hot vegetable stock; 2 heaped tbsp smooth almond butter; 2tsp maple syrup; Grated zest and juice of 2 juicy limes; Sea salt and black pepper
Put the olive oil into a large frying pan over a medium heat, add the shallot and aubergine and a pinch of salt and fry for five minutes, until soft.
Add the garlic, black beans and harissa and fry for two minutes, until fragrant.
Pour in the coconut milk, stock, almond butter and maple syrup. Bring to a boil, then put the lid on the pan and turn the heat down to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes, until the sauce has thickened. Stir in the lime zest and juice and season with salt and pepper to taste. Swirl an extra tablespoon of harissa through the stew to serve (if you’d like a little extra spice).
■ Note: To make crispy roast cauliflower, simply 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 200C fan for about 20–25 minutes, until golden and crispy.
“My girls love this recipe too,” says Ella, “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.”
Ella Mills interview: Page 48.