Eat Your Greens Recipes

Were you, like me, brought up being told to “eat your greens”?

I thought I’d share a couple of my favourite nutritious and tasty green recipes. The falafel recipe is one I have scribbled on a bit of paper in my recipe folder so can’t give credit to whoever I got it from! It seems to be a favourite with family and friends and packed full of protein and lovely green things! These are great as a main meal with accompaniments or to have on hand as a nutritious snack.

Herby Green Falafel

Makes 10

400g tin of chickpeas
½ red onion, roughly chopped
40g pistachios
3 garlic cloves
40g frozen peas
15g flat leaf parsley
15g coriander leaves
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground coriander
½ – 1 tsp sea salt flakes
¼ tsp baking powder
2 tbsp flour
2 tbsp olive oil

1. Heat oven to 180 degrees fan/gas 6
2. Drain and rinse the chickpeas
3. Put the chickpeas in a food processor. Add in all the other ingredients except the baking powder, flour and oil.
4. Process to a semi-coarse mixture.
5. Transfer mixture to a large bowl and mix in the baking powder and flour.
6. Shape the mixture into balls – they should feel dry and firm.
7. Line a baking tray with paper and drizzle on a bit of oil.
8. Place the balls on the tray and lightly drizzle with a bit more oil.
9. Bake in the oven for 15-20minutes, turning them over halfway through.

Green Minestrone

This is based on a recipe from Riverford, enclosed on a leaflet with my veg box. I make as many soups in summer but this one is a great way to use spring/summer veg and looks so vibrant and inviting. The pesto on top really lifts the flavour so I encourage you to include that too.

Serves 6

250g thin asparagus
1.5 litres veg stock
3 tbsp olive oil
3 celery sticks
2 medium onions
2 garlic cloves, crushed
4 potatoes
1 medium courgette
200g fine green beans
200g peas (fresh or frozen)
Small summer cabbage or spring greens, leaves finely shredded
30g mint leaves
150ml cream (double or single)
Salt and pepper

1. Heat the stock to gentle simmer, bash the broken off ends of asparagus and add to the stock – to add extra flavour.
2. Cut all the veg except greens to small dice (about 5mm but doesn’t have to be too exact!).
3. In a large pan, heat some olive oil and add celery, onion and pinch of salt. Cook slowly over moderate heat until soft, about 10 minutes, stir frequently.
4. Add garlic halfway through. If the pan is a bit dry add splash of water or bit more oil. Add in potatoes.
5. In a bowl, mix all the prepared green veg (except cabbage) together with your hands.
6. Add to the pan with a pinch more salt and stir. Add enough stock to the pan to cover the veg and simmer for about 20 minutes.
7. Add greens/cabbage to the soup with more stock if needed. Simmer for about 5 minutes then remove from heat.
8. Cut mint leaves into fine shreds. Stir mint and cream into the soup and season to taste.
9. Serve topped with pesto.