A Modern Way to Cook: Over 150 quick, smart and flavour-packed recipes for every day

a few sprigs of fresh basil or coriander

1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

Fill and boil the kettle and get all your ingredients out. You’ll need two heatproof mixing bowls with a plate that fits on top.

Once the kettle has boiled, put the noodles into one of the mixing bowls and cover with boiling water. Leave to sit, covered with a plate.

Peel the ginger and grate into the other bowl, then add the creamed coconut, white miso, sesame oil, soy or tamari and star anise. Very finely slice the spring onion and the chilli and add most of them to the bowl. Shred the greens, cut the courgette into thin slices and slice the sugar snaps. Add them all to the bowl.

Once the noodles have had 3 minutes, drain them and add them to the bowl of green veg. If you’re making for lunch later, layer everything into a screwtop jar and finish the recipe when you’re ready to eat. Re-boil the kettle. Pour over hot water from the kettle until the noodles and veg are just covered, and mix well.

Garnish with the remaining chopped chilli and spring onion, a little basil or coriander and some toasted sesame seeds.

At your desk salads

Lunch on the run or at your desk can be dull and samey. Use this guide to make your own quick salads. Using a grain or pulse as a base will mean it is filling, and its hardiness means your salad will travel well.

Take one element from each column and stack in a wide jar or Tupperware, making sure you work in layers from the heaviest (grains) to the lightest (leaves).

Make a dressing in a small jam jar, or pour it into a small bowl lined with clingfilm, bring the ends together and twist to make a little dressing wrap. I mix one of the suggested dressing flavours with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and a good squeeze of lemon juice, salt and pepper. The nutrition from salad leaves is actually boosted when we dress them, as the good fat from the oil makes it easier for our bodies to take up the nutrients.

Two favourite sandwiches

10 MINUTES

Sandwiches are unbeatable. They are super-quick, usually pretty cheap, and as long as you get yourself some good bread and stuff them with a bit of veg they can be super-good for you too.

Everyone has their favourite sandwich; these are the two that are made most in my kitchen. Both require 5 minutes’ work but you’ll be glad you took the extra time. These recipes have been written for one sandwich but can easily be scaled up for more. They both work really well on rye bread too.

KALE SMASH, HONEYED CARROT AND HUMMUS

MAKES 1 SANDWICH

a handful of kale

2 sun-dried tomatoes

1 lemon

extra virgin olive oil

1 small carrot

a little squeeze of honey

2 slices of good sourdough bread

1 tablespoon hummus

a handful of lettuce leaves, shredded (I use Little Gem)

Get all your ingredients together.

Put the kale into a food processor with the sun-dried tomatoes, a squeeze of lemon juice, a tablespoon of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Blitz until you have a paste.

Next, peel and finely slice the carrot, put it into a pan with the honey, a little olive oil, salt and pepper, and cook until just softened and not too crunchy.

Toast your bread, then spread one slice thickly with the kale smash and one with hummus. Put the carrots on top of the hummus, add a little shredded lettuce and sandwich together.

SAGE AND LEMON PESTO, PECORINO AND HONEY

MAKES 1 SANDWICH (AND A SMALL JAR OF PESTO)

2 slices of multi-grain or sourdough bread

50g pecorino cheese (vegetarian)

1 teaspoon thick honey

extra virgin olive oil

FOR THE QUICK SAGE PESTO

100g raw almonds (preferably soaked)

zest of 1 unwaxed lemon and ½ the juice

2 sprigs of sage leaves

a pinch of sea salt

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Get all your ingredients together.

First make your sage pesto. Blitz all the ingredients until you have a chunky pesto, and season with more salt and pepper to taste.

Heat a frying pan on a medium heat. Slather one slice of bread thickly with the sage pesto, then slice the pecorino thinly and lay it on top. Spread the honey on the other slice and sandwich together. Drizzle the outsides of the sandwich with a little olive oil then put into the pan and toast on both sides until golden, using a spatula to press down as needed.

Once the sandwich is toasted and golden, cut in half and devour.

Avocado, tahini and olive smash flatbreads

10 MINUTES

I try to sneak avocados in anywhere I can. I love their buttery, grassy, rich creaminess. The last five years has seen avocado on toast elbow its way on to every breakfast and lunch menu in the land. Avocado on toast was something I grew up on, and my love of avos has undoubtedly been inherited from my mum.

So I thought it was time to mix things up a bit, still making the most of how instantly delicious an avocado is but adding some more unusual flavours. Here I smash avocados with tahini, olives and lemon to make one of my new favourite lunches.