Karen Wright: Easy to cook recipes from my new book

I have been totally preoccupied with my book events and all the work that needs to happen in the background. I had two successful launches in Wakefield, the first at The Pizza Yard and the second at the legendary Red Shed. Next up is an event on Saturday 30th September at The Ridings Shopping Centre in Wakefield. It is a free drop-in event running from 10am until 2pm and everyone is welcome!

Two of the recipes that I cooked recently from my book ‘Meals on the Move’ were inspired by classic French dishes and were also vegan. Using just vegetables, herbs and spices is an extremely healthy way to cook and it is unbelievable how tasty the dishes can be.

Ratatouille is typically eaten in the south of France and the main ingredients are aubergine, red pepper, courgette and tomatoes. The vegetables are sautéed in olive oil to start the cooking process and then tinned tomatoes or passata are added and the vegetables continue to simmer in the sauce until tender. Herbes de Provence are added, along with garlic, salt, and pepper. Herbes de Provence is a mixture of oregano, thyme, rosemary, and lavender but oregano alone would also work well. I like to add a few fennel seeds to impart that aniseed kick which is so typical of the south of France. The dish is bright red and very vibrant.

My mushroom bourguignon is fast becoming a firm family favourite. From the heart of the Burgundy region of France, a bourguignon is usually a beef dish where the chunks of stew beef are simmered in a rich red wine sauce for hours. My version uses lots of mushrooms instead of meat and includes onions, shallots, garlic, mustard, thyme, and copious quantities of red wine. I was pleased to discover that my carnivorous husband John has given this dish the thumbs up too, which is a rare occurrence indeed.

All thirty of the recipes in the book are so easy to make at home, not just on holiday, and it makes a great gift too! My book is available to purchase from my website www.karenwrightbakes.co.uk, at Darling Reads in Horbury and on Amazon.