One of the best ways to keep busy in lockdown is to spend some extra time in the kitchen cooking and baking some delicious recipes. These are Anna’s lockdown favourites that are hits all year round. Enjoy!

Roasted Cauliflower, Chickpea and Pesto Rice

1  cauliflower - cut into florets

1  can of drained chickpeas

2  servings of brown rice

1  avocado - cut into chunks

Handful of leaves of spinach

2  tsp ground cumin

2  tbsp of pesto

Juice of 1 lemon

Olive oil

Salt & pepper to season

Preheat the oven to 190°C. Mix the cauliflower florets, chickpeas with olive oil, salt and cumin and place onto a tray and bake in the oven for 25 minutes.

Remove from the oven and mix through the pesto, spinach, lemon juice and pepper. 

Cook the rice, drain and mix with the vegetables. 

Top with avocado and serve.

Banana Bread

60g    coconut sugar

60g    butter

3        eggs

60g    self-raising brown flour 

2        ripe bananas

+        Quality dark chocolate (melted)

Whizz the butter and sugar together. Add the eggs into the mixture one at a time. Add the ripe bananas and pulse to chop. 

Add flour and keep mixing until the mixture is evenly combined. Pour into a loaf tin and cook for 40 minutes at 180°C.

Once cooked, remove from the oven and cover the top with melted chocolate for extra flavour.

Apple Cake

175g   self-raising flour

1 tsp   mixed spice

225g   sugar

225g   butter

700g   cooking apples

2         eggs, beaten

A little milk

Preheat the oven to 190°C. Grease a 23x23 tin. Sift the flour and mixed spice together and put into a bowl with the sugar. Roughly chop in the butter but do not rub in or cream. Peel the apples and slice into the mixture. Add the beaten eggs and enough milk to make a fairly stiff batter. 

Bake in the tin for about 1½ hours - until golden brown. 

This can also be made with pears or plums.

Serve hot with thin cream or custard and enjoy the leftovers as cake.