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.

Chilli con carne with crazy rice, yogurt and corn on the cob

When I make chilli con carne I like to serve it with wild rice (or crazy rice as my kids call it).  They decant it from separate bowls but it looks slightly nicer than just slopped on a plate.  That's sour cream and parsley as a garnish. I realise that food photography is a whole different thing to serving up meals for your family.  The lighting is always poor at evening supper and I snap on my smart phone.  I now understand why the great Elizabeth David insisted on only pencil sketches to illustrate her cookery despatches.  I will no doubt go to hell mentioned the great Ms David in the same breathe as this meal attempt. 

Mushroom Stroganoff with minor beef and crazy rice

A stroganoff must contain, to my mind, sour cream.  It is a creamy stew and by this nature quite indulgent.   This version is mainly mushrooms with a small amount of beef (hence minor).  I used to make a mushroom version as a student that seemed a luxury at the time.