Red lentil, smoked paprika, buckwheat and thyme soup

Carrot, cashews and coriander with noddles

Empty cupboards spark kitchen forage - noodles with carrots, pan toasted cashew nuts, ginger, garlic, chilli, celery, onion, lots of parsley, coriander, lemon juice and a little soy sauce. Necessity is the mother of invention. 

Tabbouleh salad

"Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a fattened ox served with hatred" (Proverbs 15:17)

I've made versions of this salad since first eating it as a student in Jerusalem.  Traditionally it is primarily made of parlsey and bulgar wheat.  I often use watercress (no doubt a western abomination) as this is more readily available in the UK than flat leaf parsley.  This version features parsley, fresh mint and watercress.  I've also added spring onions, lemon juice, olive oil, rock salt, chopped tomato's and some kidney beans. Served with natural yogurt, cucumber and veggie burgers (no falafel this evening).

Red cabbage coleslaw

 This coleslaw is made with red cabbage, grated carrot, apple, natural yogurt and seasoned with lemon juice and pepper.  I sometimes add poppy seeds to this version.

Spaghetti, salmon, lemon cream, cracked pepper and flat parsley

Don't judge someone just because they sin differently to you.

Poached salmon with lemon butter, new season asparagus, avocado, tomato and green salad

"Good seasons start with good beginnings" (Sparky Anderson, Baseball coach).

It's asparagus time :)

Mushroom and celery soup, made with thyme and milk.

I'm slightly obsessed with mushrooms at the moment.  Like celery, they have very distinctive and strong tastes but are often drowned in sauces or side lined.  This soup is really simple as it uses only four base ingredients (as above).  You could of course add a small amount of cream, but I like the simplicity of it made with milk for a weekday lunch.