Baked asparagus risotto

Cooking your Italian rice in the oven saves you laborious stirring time – plus this one’s low in fat and calories

Butternut & harissa hummus

Roast pumpkin with plenty of garlic then blitz into a Moroccan-style dip with spicy harissa and sesame paste

Harissa veg, goat’s cheese & couscous salad

Ditch your boring sandwich and make an exciting lunch from your leftover roasted vegetables – squash, peppers and aubergine work well

Squash, feta & pine nut tart

Ready-made puff pastry makes it easy to go meat free – top with spicy harissa paste, salty cheese, sweet pumpkin and mint

Mini Christmas cake

Make our wreath cake (see ‘goes well with’) and use the spare middle section to create a small gift decorated with classic marzipan and fondant icing

Linguine with watercress & almond pesto

Make your own Italian sauce from nuts, garlic and watercress, add a touch of lemon and serve with pasta

Salmon & horseradish burgers

Fishcakes served in a bun with contrasting hot horseradish, a cool and creamy dip and crunchy salad

Peppermint petticoat tails shortbread

A clever decoration technique for this classic tea time biscuit – use a doily to dust on a pretty lace pattern in icing sugar

Earl Grey teacakes

Fruit buns flavoured with aromatic tea and orange to be served toasted with lashings of butter

Chicken liver & chorizo open sandwich

Contains pork – recipe is for non-Muslims only

A thrifty, speedy supper for two – allow time for the Spanish sausage to add its paprika flavour to the creamy garlic and sherry sauce