Theresa says: “Your heart says pasta, your head says soup, and the voice of your mother says: ‘eat your vegetables’. Here is the delicious answer to that heart-mind dilemma.”

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 leek, white and light green parts thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
• 1 courgette, quartered lengthways and sliced
• 150 g (1 cup) frozen peas
• 1 litre (4 cups) chicken stock 
• 200 g (7 oz) farfalle pasta
• salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Top it off:

• extra virgin olive oil, to drizzle

Method

Heat the olive oil in a large pan over a medium heat and sauté the leek, garlic, celery and courgette for about 5 minutes until the leek is fragrant and translucent.

Stir in the peas, mixing until well coated in oil, then pour over the chicken stock and simmer for about 10 minutes until all of the vegetables are soft.

Meanwhile, bring a separate pan of generously salted water to the boil and cook the pasta for 2 minutes less than the package instructions.

Drain the pasta and add to the soup pan.

Divide the soup among 4 bowls, season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve garnished with a drizzle of olive oil.

Theresa says: “With colder weather comes new, richer produce – squash, sage, and a fuller-flavoured beef stock make this minestrone perfect for falling temperatures.”

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 125 g (4½ oz) Hokkaido squash, deseeded, peeled and chopped (prepared weight)
• 1 litre (4 cups) beef stock
• 200 g (7 oz) small pasta of your choice
• 110 g (4 oz) spinach
• salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Top it off:

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 8 sage leaves

Method

Heat the olive oil in a medium pan over a medium heat, add the celery, squash and a few turns of salt and pepper, and sauté gently for about 5 minutes until softened.

Add the stock and simmer for about 20 minutes until the celery and squash have softened.

To make the topping, heat the butter in a separate small pan and add the sage leaves as the butter begins to foam. Fry for a few minutes on each side until crispy, but not burnt. Set aside.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pan of salted water for 2 minutes less than stated on the package instructions.

Drain the pasta and transfer to the soup pan along with the spinach, simmering for a further 2 minutes.

Season the soup to taste with salt and pepper, then divide among 4 bowls and garnish with the crispy sage leaves.

Theresa says: “In a pinch, an unassuming package of ramen can be jazzed up with just a handful of herbs, a few splashes of ponzu, and a soft-boiled egg.”

Serves 1

Ingredients

• 1 packet instant ramen (whichever flavour you like)
• 2 tablespoons ponzu

Top it off:

• small handful of roughly chopped herbs (such as parsley, coriander, dill, mint, chives)
• ½ shallot, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• juice of ½ lemon
• 1 soft-boiled egg

Method

In a small bowl, mix together the herbs, shallot, sesame oil and lemon juice. Set aside.

Cook the ramen noodles according to the package instructions, then transfer to a bowl. Pour in the ponzu and mix well.

Carefully peel the soft-boiled egg and place it on top of the noodles, then spoon the herb mixture on top.