It’s that time of year again, and I don’t know about you, but I already feel sick as a dog. I’ve prematurely eaten my weight in chocolate and cheese but then that’s really all a vegetarian can eat in Belgium. So if like me, you need an injection of wholesome goodness, I prescribe a bowl of my chickpea and butterbean soup – it doesn’t get much healthier than this… Now, where did I put the Toblerone.
Chickpea and butter bean soup with pesto broth Serves 4 / Hands on time 25 mins / Total time 50 mins /V VnGfDf ❄ You’ll need: Food processor, Nutribullet or hand blender for the broth
1 tsp rapeseed oil
½ tsp sea salt flakes
1 white onion, finely chopped
1 small carrot, peeled and diced
½ stick of celery, diced
½ de-seeded red pepper, diced
2 medium sized tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 can chickpeas washed and drained
1 can butter beans washed and drained
1 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp dried oregano
1 litre of vegetable stock For the pesto broth: 30g fresh basil
2 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
Extra virgin olive oil to serve
Method
1. In a large pot, sweat down the onion, carrot, celery and red pepper along with a good pinch of salt over a medium heat for 5 mins. Add a dash of water, give it a stir and continue to cook with the lid on for a further 5-10 mins until the vegetables have softened.
2. Add the roughly chopped tomato, drained butter beans, chickpeas and vegetable stock and bring to the boil. Season with black pepper and add the dried herbs before turning the heat down and simmering for 30 mins, stirring occasionally.
3. Meanwhile, add the basil to a food processor along with two roughly chopped garlic cloves. Add 8 tbs of the soup broth and blitz until you have a runny pesto. Put to one side. 4. Once the soup has thickened, ladle into bowls and serve drizzled with the pesto broth and extra virgin olive oil.
Butterbean & chickpea soup with pesto broth
If you’ve had a go at making any of my recipes, I’d love to hear from you. Follow me now @corrieheale and tag your recipe pictures using #corriesrabbitfood.
V – Vegetarian Vn – Vegan Gf – Gluten free Df – Dairy free
To freeze: Cool the soup fully and transfer to an airtight container. Consume within three months.
At their best from July to September, now is the perfect time to get your hands on the nations favourite emoji. The aubergine. With its glossy purple skin and spongy centre, this vegetable loves nothing more than to soak up flavours and I have just the recipe! This aubergine and chickpea stew is warm with cinnamon spice but fresh with mint and yogurt, perfect to see out the last of the Summer nights before welcoming Autumn in all her golden glory.
Aubergine & chickpea stew Serves 4 / Hands on time 30 mins / Total time 1 hr /V Vn Gf Df ❄
1 tsp olive oil
1 white onion, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 aubergines, cut into large chunks
6 medium sized tomatoes, cut into eighths
1 can tinned chickpeas, drained
500ml vegetable stock, I use Knorr stock pots
3 bay leaves
1 ½ tsp cinnamon
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp dried parsley
100ml *vegan red wine To serve
Handful of fresh mint leaves
Greek or dairy free yogurt (optional)
Drizzle of Pomora extra virgin olive oil
Serve with crusty bread or couscous
Method
Finely chop the onion and the garlic and add them to a large cooking pot with a teaspoon of oil. Over a medium heat, sweat the onions and garlic for around 5 minutes or until softened (if the onions are getting a little too much colour, add a dash of water to the pot to help them to steam).
Add 1 tsp of cumin, turmeric, smoked paprika and 1 and a half tsp of cinnamon then give it a good stir. Add a little water to the mix if again it’s looking a little dry and to allow the spices to release their lovely aromas.
Cook the spices for a couple of minutes before adding the freshly chopped tomatoes, 500ml of vegetable stock, 100ml red wine, the aubergine chunks, drained chickpeas, 3 bay leaves and 1 tsp of dried parsley. Give it a good mix and season well with salt and pepper. Bring to the boil.
Turn the heat down to a simmer, pop the lid a jar and cook for 15 minutes stirring occasionally. After 15 minutes, take the lid off, give it another stir and continue to cook without the lid for a further 15 minutes (this allows the sauce to thicken). Meanwhile, use this time to prepare your chosen accompaniment – I like to serve it with couscous or with a loaf of crusty bread on warmer days and mashed potato on cooler ones.
Take the stew off the heat and carefully pick out the bay leaves. Divide into bowls along your chosen accompaniment, a generously sprinkle of fresh mint, yogurt (optional), and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
Aubergine & Chickpea Stew
This week, me and my garlic and herb chickpeas went on live radio! I know, right? Me and my pal Alun from Pomora drove to deepest darkest Essex in his rather flashy sports car. I say flashy, because his hazard lights were stuck on and flashed all the way up the M25. Anyway, Alun was invited on Phoenix Fm to talk all things olive oil and I was invited to well… actually, I wasn’t really sure why I was there. I just thought I was bringing the refreshments, but turns out, the show’s host Karin actually wanted to talk to me about my little old blog. So, that’s what I did – as well as down olive oil like sambuca and constantly correct Karin every time she called me Corrine – which happened more than once… So, if you fancy a laugh and want to hear what my voice sounds like (it’s much more baritone and Fearne Cotton than I realised) then click on my giant face below or here– my interview is about 43 minutes in.
Oh, and here’s the recipe for the crunchy garlic and herb chickpeas I made for the occasion along with my banana bread, smoky bean wraps and pea and mint pesto. Annoyingly crunchy for radio but perfect for watching a boxset with, these deliciously salty chickpeas make the perfect healthy snack.
Also, if you’d like to get your hand on some of Alun’s delicious Pomora olive oils, click here for a special discount.
Crunchy garlic & herb chickpeas
Serves 2 as a snack / hands on time 10 mins / total time 45 mins + 2 hours drying time /V VnGfDf
You’ll need: Kitchen roll, baking paper, 1-2 non-stick baking trays
1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil (I like to use flavoured oils so for this recipe I used Pomora rosemary flavoured oil)
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp oregano
½ tsp dried Parsley
½ sea salt flakes
TIP:This recipe is easily doubled up but you will require 2 baking trays.
Preheat an oven to 200°C/180°C fan/400F/gas mark 6 and put the baking tray/trays in the oven to warm up. Rinse the chickpeas thoroughly before draining and patting dry with kitchen roll.
Carefully remove the hot trays from the oven, line with baking paper and evenly scatter the chickpeas onto the trays. Roast in the oven for 10 minutes before giving them their first shake. Return to the oven for a further 10 minutes, Meanwhile, mix up your flavour ingredients in a small bowl and prepare a larger bowl for the chickpeas.
Remove from the oven (keep the oven on) and pour into the larger bowl along with the oil. Give them a good stir to ensure the chickpeas are well coated before adding the seasoning. Mix well before returning to the baking tray/trays and roasting for a further 10 minutes.
Give the chickpeas another shake and roast for a final 10 minutes before turning the oven off but leaving the chickpeas in. Leave the chickpeas to dry out in the cooling oven for a couple of hours – this will give your chickpeas an extra crunchy texture. Once cool, store in an airtight container for up to a week.
Crunchy garlic & herb chickpeas
If you’ve had a go at making any of my recipes, I’d love to hear from you. Follow me now @corrieheale and tag your recipe pictures using #corriesrabbitfood.
I woke up this morning and ordered a McDonald’s from my hungover bed to be delivered to my door. What a glorious time to be alive. Two hash browns and an egg McMuffin later, I was still hungry, so dragged myself out of bed and into my kitchen to make a big vat of vegetable korma – bit random, but that’s what I fancied, and I couldn’t afford another Uber Eats.
Light, fragrant and made with yogurt, this healthier korma makes the perfect Saturday night fake-away or a Sunday morning hangover cure. Serve with rice and, if you’re feeling frisky, a garlic and coriander naan.
Healthy sweet potato & chickpea korma Serves 2 generously / Hands on time 40 mins / Total time 1 hr 10 mins /V❄ You’ll need: A stick blender or a food processor. Pestle and mortar
1 tsp rapeseed oil
2 regular or 1 large white onion, roughly chopped
4 large garlic cloves, sliced
Knob of ginger, grated
½ tsp sea salt flakes
8 cardamon pods, shelled and crushed
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground turmeric
Pinch of chilli flakes 2 tsp mango chutney
1 tbs plain flour
300ml vegetable stock (I use 1 Knorr stock pot)
250g Greek yogurt
1 sweet potato (around 350g), peeled and cubed
1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
Handful frozen peas
Handful fresh coriander, chopped
Boiled brown basmati rice to serve (optional)
Method
1. In a large casserole dish with a lid, sweat the chopped onions, garlic and ginger together in the oil. Cover with a lid and cook on a medium to low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, bash the cardamon pods in a pestle and mortar, spilling out the seeds. Discard the shells and grind to a powder.
2. Once the onions are soft, add the cardamon, cumin, coriander, chilli flakes, salt, turmeric and mango chutney. Add a dash of water, give it a good stir and cook for a further 5 mins.
3. Add the flour and cook for 2 minutes before incorporating the stock bit by bit. Bring to the boil and reduce to a simmer for 10 mins. Take off the heat and add the yogurt before bleeding with a hand blender or food processor until you have a smooth curry sauce.
4. Return the pot to the heat and add the sweet potato chunks. Bring to the boil and then reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook for 20 mins, stirring occasionally.
5. Add the drained chickpeas, stir and cook uncovered for 5 more minutes before finally adding the frozen peas. Cook for 2 more minutes before spooning into bowls and topping with chopped coriander. Serve with brown basmati rice.
Sweet potato & chickpea korma final
If you’ve had a go at making any of my recipes, I’d love to hear from you. Follow me now @corrieheale and tag your recipe pictures using #corriesrabbitfood.
V– Vegetarian. ❄– Suitable for home freezing once cooled. Consume within 3 months.
Is it sad that the most exciting thing to happen to me this month was managing to get a rather swanky pair of gardening gloves for a pound in Waitrose? Maybe it has something to do with turning 34 last week, or the fact I now have a roof terrace for the first time in three years. Whatever it is, my fingers have officially turned green, and I like it!
As we’ve all been huffing and puffing in this insufferable heatwave (myself included), my little garden has been thriving. My cherry tomato plant is heavy with fruit, my lavender has been attracting local bees and I now have enough mint to make one mojito #thegoodlife. Of course, it hasn’t all been plain sailing. There have been a few unforseeen causalities – I starved my basil to death, crushed my dill under a pile of washing and neglected my Jasmine until it resembled dry hay, but all in all, it’s been a successful harvest.
So, inspired by my gardening success, I thought I’d attempt to use some of my homegrown herbs in a recipe. As you all know, I crushed my dill in a horrifying laundry accident, but I still had mint, rosemary and thyme to play with… RIP dill.
Herby chickpea salad Serves 4 as a side, 2 as a main / Hands on time 20 mins / Total time 20 mins / VGf Hummus dressing 2 tsp Pomora extra virgin olive oil
3 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp honey
1 tsp wholegrain mustard
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tbs shop bought hummus For the chickpeas
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
Juice of half a lemon
Handful of fresh mixed herbs, finely chopped or 1 tsp dried mixed herbs For the salad 4 handfuls of leave (I used a mixture of rocket and spinach)
Handful Pumpkin seeds
1 beef tomato, chopped
¼ of a cucumber, peeled and chopped
Pitted Kalamaka olives, halved
¼ red onion, finely sliced
1 avocado, peeled and sliced
100g vegetarian feta, crumbled (optional)
Method
1. Start by making the hummus dressing by mixing all of the ingredients in a small bowl with a spoon until fully combined. Put to one side.
2. Rinse and drain your chickpeas in a colander before squeezing over the lemon and seasoning well with salt and pepper. Mix in the fresh or dried herbs and put to one side.
3. In a large bowl, assemble your salad (you can use whatever salad bits you desire although I like to include feta and olives in mine to give it a Greek feel). Add the herby chickpeas and pour over the dressing before give it a good toss. 4. Serve as a side or as a meal with a bit of hummus and pita bread.
Chickpea salad
If you’ve had a go at making any of my recipes, I’d love to hear from you. Follow me now @corrieheale and tag your recipe pictures using #corriesrabbitfood.
Why does everyone need to see me before Christmas? It’s not like I’m going to spontaneously combust in the New Year. It’s only a few days into December and already I’m in such a constant state of hangovery I could cry – and then I did…
“… it’s because you weren’t paying attention and now look what you’ve done!” The customer behind me pointed to the box of eggs that had fallen off the conveyor belt and smashed all over the floor.
“Why should I pay attention? It’s not a test!” I said as I attempted to scrape up raw egg with my bare hands into a 5p plastic bag… “and besides, they’re not even YOUR eggs, they’re MINE, so why do you care?”
“I care because now someone has to come and clean up YOUR mess, simply because you weren’t paying attention,” he spat angrily down at me.
“SO??!!! It’s not like I’m running around Waitrose throwing eggs about the place you grumpy old sod.”
“Would you like me to get you another box of eggs madam?” asked the rather bored looking cashier.
“No, no, it’s fine,” I say angrily brushing my hair back from my face, forgetting my hand was coated in raw egg. “I’m worried if you do, this man might murder me… ” The man didn’t murder me, but he looked like he was about to – especially when I wished him a Merry Christmas on my departure.
Feeling smug, I got into my car and rang Jamie, ready to have a good old rant but, as soon as he answered the phone, something peculiar happened. I started squeaking and sobbing down the phone, about the mean egg man in Waitrose.
Anyway, enough about eggs – I broke mine, so this aubergine and chickpea stew is eggless. With warm cinnamon and spicy undertones, this stew is definitely one to curl up on the sofa with on a cold winter’s eve.
Aubergine & chickpea stew Serves 4 / Hands on time 30 mins / Total time 1 hr /V Vn Gf Df ❄
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp sea salt flakes
1 white onion, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tbs tomato puree
2 aubergines, cut into large chunks
6 medium sized tomatoes, cut into eighths or 1 tin of good quality chopped tomatoes
1 can tinned chickpeas, drained
500ml vegetable stock, I use Knorr stock pots
3 bay leaves
1 ½ tsp cinnamon
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp dried parsley
100ml *vegan red wine To serve
Handful of fresh mint leaves
Greek or dairy free yogurt (optional)
Drizzle of Pomora extra virgin olive oil
Serve with crusty bread or couscous
Method
Finely chop the onion and the garlic and add them to a large cooking pot with a teaspoon of oil. Over a medium heat, sweat the onions, garlic and salt for around 5 mins or until softened (if the onions are getting a little too much colour, add a dash of water to the pot to help them to steam).
Add the cumin, turmeric, smoked paprika and cinnamon before giving it a good stir. Add a little water to the mix if it’s looking a little dry and cook for 2 mins.
Add the tomato puree and the wine and cook until most of the wine has absorbed before adding the tomatoes, stock, aubergine, chickpeas, bay leaves and dried parsley. Give it a good mix and season to taste. Bring to the boil.
Turn the heat down to a simmer, pop the lid on a jar and cook for 15 mins stirring occasionally. After 15 mins, remove thew lid and continue to cook for a further 15 mins. Meanwhile, use this time to prepare your chosen accompaniment – I like to serve it with couscous or with a loaf of crusty bread on warmer days and mashed potato on colder ones.
Take the stew off the heat and carefully pick out the bay leaves. Divide into bowls along your chosen accompaniment, a generously sprinkle of fresh mint and a dollop of yogurt (optional). Drizzle with extra virgin love oil and serve.
Aubergine & Chickpea Stew
If you’ve had a go at making any of my recipes, I’d love to hear from you. Follow me now @corrieheale and tag your recipe pictures using #corriesrabbitfood.
V– Vegetarian Vn– Vegan Gf– Gluten free Df– Dairy free ❄– Cool fully before freezing. Consume within 3 months. *Most wines are unfortunately not vegetarian or vegan, due to products used in the ‘fining’ process. Wine makers are also under no obligation to disclose if they have used animal products on the label. Vegetarian and vegan wines are available in most supermarkets.
Sorry for the late post dear reader but I’ve been busy moving myself, Jamie and my vast collection of cook books into our new home. I had fifteen boxes of cookbooks, FIFTEEN! Ridiculous. I felt very sorry for Jamie’s dad Billy, who heroically carried them up two flights of stairs (apologies Billy), I clearly have a problem.
Anyway, let’s talk veggie Scotch eggs. I’ve been a bit obsessed with them ever since I tried my first one in the The Southampton Arms last month. However, this is not the first time I’ve tried to make them. My first attempt was a bit of a fail back in 2015. Although tasty, they resembled mushroom burgers, far too flat to be considered a Scotch egg. So, two years later and with a picnic on the horizon, it was time for round two. Using a mixture of chickpeas, breadcrumbs and cannellini beans, I finally managed to get the right texture to mould around my boiled eggs to form the perfect Scotch egg (#winningatlife). Unlike a regular Scotch egg however, I opted for baking not frying, not only to keep the calories down (as you all know, I’ve been on a diet for about 100 million years) but because I don’t trust myself to deep fat fry anything, far to scary. I mean I don’t even own a microwave, let alone a deep fat fryer, although my mum did once, my dad bought her one for Christmas. Not cool dad, not cool.
Anyway, if you fancy a bit of challenge and want to impress your friends at that picnic then be brave and give these a go, you won’t regret it.
Baked chickpea scotch eggs Makes 5 / Hands on time 55 / Total time 1 hr 15 mins + cooling / V Df You will need: Hand blender/food processor, cling film 1 tsp rapeseed oil
7 medium eggs (one week old is best for peeling)
Ice
1 red onion, roughly chopped
3 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
1 medium carrot, grated
1 tsp sea salt flakes
2 tsp smoked paprika
¼ tsp chilli flakes
1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 can cannellini, chickpeas or kidney beans, rinsed and drained
40g breadcrumbs (roughly 2 regular slices of bread) 3 tbs plain flour
40g Panko breadcrumbs English mustard to serve (optional)
Method
1. Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a rapid boil before lowering in the 6 eggs. Boil for 7 mins before scooping out and placing in a bowl of iced water. Once the eggs are cool enough to touch, give each one a little crack on the deck to break the shell and re-submerge – this make them easier to peel later. Put to one side.
2. Add a tsp of oil to a large saucepan and add the chopped onions, garlic, grated carrot and salt. Cook on a medium heat with the lid on for 5 mins. Add a dash of water to help the vegetables steam and cook for a further 2 mins.
3. Add the chilli flakes and the smoked paprika before adding a dash of water and cook for a further 2 mins. Add both cans of rinsed and drained chickpeas/beans and season with pepper. Turn the heat down and cook with the lid on for a further 10 mins. Preheat an oven to 220°C/200°C fan/425°F/gas mark 7.
TIP: Eggs that are slightly older are easier to peel, so try and use up the older eggs in you have in the fridge for this recipe.
4. Add 2 slices of torn bread to a food processor and blitz to breadcrumbs and put to one side. Take the beans off the heat and either transfer to a food processor or blitz with a hand blender until you have a smooth paste. In a separate bowl, beat the remaining egg with a fork and add half to the mixture along with the breadcrumbs and mix together. Put to one side, saving the rest of the beaten egg.
5. You will need 2 small side plates and the remaining egg mixture. Add the flour to one of the plates along with a good pinch of salt and the Panko breadcrumbs to the other. You will need a brush for the egg.
6. Peel the eggs and place on a piece of kitchen roll and pat them dry. To assemble your scotch eggs, tear a large square of clingfilm and put it on the deck in front of you. Roughly divide the mixture into five and place one portion in the centre of your clingfilm. Using your hands, pat the mixture down until you have a round-ish patty.
7. Roll the first egg in the flour and place in the centre of the bean mixture. Gather up the edges of the clingfilm and start to squish the beans around the egg, until the egg is entirely encased by the mixture – if you find you haven’t taken enough mixture, simply add more to the top and continue to work around the egg. (See step by step images below).
8. Once the egg is encased, remove the clingfilm and mould into a ball with your hands. Brush all over with a bit of beaten egg and roll in the Panko breadcrumbs. Place on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Repeat this process with the other eggs using the same sheet of clingfilm.
9. Bake in the oven for 20-25 mins. Leave to cool completely on the baking tray before wrapping individually in clingfilm and refrigerating. Serve with a dollop of English mustard. Consume within 5 days.
Baked Scotch Eggs
If you’ve had a go at making any of my recipes, I’d love to hear from you. Follow me now @corrieheale and tag your recipe pictures using #corriesrabbitfood.
I couldn’t be bothered to leave the house yesterday, so decided to invent a soup out of the bits I already had in the fridge. This is what happened…
“Oh, I only have half an onion… Why do I have so many cans of butter beans? I don’t even like butter beans!… Oh wait, I have chick peas, yes! I swear I had some cumin?! No? REALLY?! Shit!… Oh wait, smoked paprika, that could be interesting… Maybe with some sweet potato?… No wait, they’re Isabelle’s… Half a bag of spinach could work though with some tinned tomatoes maybe? Yes, a smoky tomato chickpea broth… Hope I have some cheese… YES! Right, sorted, lets do it…
Smoky tomato & chickpea soup Serves 2 / Hands on time 15 mins / Total time 35 mins / V VnGf*Df 1 tsp rapeseed oil ½ an onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
1 tbs tomato purée
1 can chopped tomatoes
1 can chick peas, drained and rinsed
½ tsp smoked paprika
500ml vegetable stock*, I use Knorr
100g spinach
Handful grated vegetarian cheese to serve (optional)
Extra virgin olive oil to serve
Method
1. In a medium sized saucepan, sweat the onions and garlic together in the oil over a medium heat. Put the lid on and allow to sweat for 10 mins.
2. Add the tomato puree, smoked paprika and cook for a further 2 mins before adding the tinned tomatoes and seasoning well with salt and pepper. Give it at good stir, add the stock and bring to the boil before reducing down and simmering for 15 mins
3. Add the drained chickpeas with the spinach and cook for a further 5 mins.
4. Serve topped with a good drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and sprinkling of cheese (optional).
If you’ve had a go at making any of my recipes, I’d love to hear from you. Follow me now @corrieheale and tag your recipe pictures using #corriesrabbitfood.
V– Vegetarian Vn– Vegans forgo the cheese Df– Make dairy free by leaving out the cheese Gf– I use Knorr vegetable stock pots because they are gluten free but other stock pots/cubes may not be. Always check the label. ❄ Suitable for home freezing once cooled. Consume within 3 months.
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