Take three ingredients

Having always had a herb garden and dabbled with a veggie patch, this year I decided to do a little window sill gardening with tomatoes, chillis and basil. They are, after all, the basis for so many vegan and vegetarian dishes.

Using these three ingredients it is possible to make pasta dishes, gnocchi, risotto, soup, salad, sandwiches, pizza, bruschetta ... the list is endless.

At its simplest, a drop of oil heated in a pan with chopped chilli and some garlic (or you could use  chilli oil you've made previously) to which you add the chopped tomatoes. They will quickly absorb the flavours. Add torn basil to the tomatoes before stirring through cooked pasta. Serve in warmed bowls with a sprinkle of Parmesan substitute and a garnish of fresh basil. Simple perfection.

The three ingredients don't always need to be combined. They can be paired or used alone.
The tomatoes and chillis can be used together in Indian or Mexican cuisine or pair the tomatoes and basil in a Caprese salad.

Jack(fruit) of all trades

Jackfruit is becoming more widely used in the UK as a substitute for meat. Because of it's texture, it has been likened to pulled pork or chicken. Jackfruit has a fairly bland sweet-sour flavour and is often covered in barbecue sauce and served as burgers and chilli. When using ripened fruit it can be used in sweet dishes. Lots of recipes are available on the Internet and in vegan and vegetarian cook books.

The jackfruit is part of the same family as fig and mulberry. It is the national fruit of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka and is commonly used in south Asian dishes.

Whilst sold in Asian markets, it is rare to see a whole jackfruit in supermarkets here in the UK but can be bought in canned form. This is far easier than trying to wrestle with these huge, tough fruits which contain a sticky latex layer under the spiky skin.

The fruit is a healthy option being free from cholesterol and saturated fat and is low in calories. Extra brownie points are that it is a sustainable and ethical meat replacement.

To date I have eaten it in veggie restaurants and from street food stalls, normally in a taco. Waitrose now do a vegan jackfruit pizza which is very tasty.