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Men’s health special

How to eat well to stay well

February 2026

Caramelised leek udon with sesame fried eggs • Cumin-spiced lamb chops with roasted squash • Rhubarb, ricotta & pistachio cake

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THE BEST CHOCOLATE CAKE YOU WILL EVER MAKE

Why everyone’s talking about beans

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Welcome to

February 3 B

eans have had a bad reputation and been the butt of playground jokes for years, but these storecupboard staples are no longer the ingredient we snigger at – they’re an affordable, flavour-building, fibre-rich powerhouse with the ability to nourish us and the planet. As this month’s deep-dive (p67) shows, beans are exceptionally good for soil health, and vastly under-eaten in the UK. That’s why we’re championing them as a versatile ingredient that works as well in pasta bakes as it does in brownies. And, last month, we shone a light on women’s health, so this issue, we’re doing the same for men, looking at what to eat to stay fit and well (p81). Whether it’s beans, better habits or resourceful small producers (p124), this month is all about rethinking what good food looks like, and why it matters.

of my faves this month CASSIE’S CHOCOLATE CAKE Our head of food shares a perfectly balanced, fudgy, grown-up cake you’ll want to bake on repeat (p115).

ONE CRÊPE, FOUR WAYS Our ode to Pancake Day: crisp-edged, soft-centred crêpes with irresistible sweet and savoury fillings (p51).

CHEESEBURGER SAUSAGE ROLLS Our Barney’s brilliantly indulgent mash-up: all the flavour of a cheeseburger wrapped in puff pastry (p40).

RECIPE

Cassie Best

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PHOTOGRAPH

Tom Regester FOOD STYLIST

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Stay on top of your goals for the year with Good Health, Good Food’s health and wellness channel. Join us on TikTok and Instagram for inspiration. @goodhealthbygoodfood

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Rachel Bayly & Freddie Stewart

LOVE OUR COVER? This month, our colour scheme has been designed in association with Crown Paints. For a chance to win a £500 John Lewis voucher and £250 worth of Crown Paints, see page 24.

Friends of Good Food JOHN GREGORY-SMITH The food writer and chef packs in bold, global flavours without the faff for midweekeasy, weekendimpressive traybakes with real flair (p42).

ZAYNAH DIN

CHING-HE HUANG

Try vibrant Ramadan dishes to bring warmth and comfort – from keema shakshuka to one-pot chicken biryani, perfect for busy evenings (p92).

Celebrate the Lunar New Year on 17 February with Ching’s fresh, joyful flavours – these are thoughtful recipes that are rooted in tradition and made for sharing (p61).

T U R N TO PAG E 4 8 TO G E T A ST Y L I S H N E W SAU T É PA N W H E N YO U S U B S C R I B E For subscription queries, visit goodfood.com/contact-us FEBRUARY 2026 goodfood.com 3

February 2026 SEASONAL 9 AT ITS BEST NOW Enjoy winter’s bounty, including sprouts, forced rhubarb and kale

MAIN EVENT 21 BATCH-COOK BRILLIANCE Save time and money (and stock the freezer) with easily doubled recipes

COOK SMART 34 COOK SMART TONIGHT Storecupboard heroes for midweek

40 MONDAY MASH-UP Give sausage rolls a makeover with cheeseburger-inspired flavours 42 GLOBAL TRAYBAKES Easy, exotic all-in-one dinners

WEEKEND

51 CRÊPES, 4 WAYS Get set for Pancake Day with our basic recipe, plus four toppings 57 AIR FRYER FAVOURITES Cook comfort food in a flash with the help of your go-to kitchen gadget 61 LUNAR NEW YEAR Celebrate the Year of the Horse with Ching-He Huang’s spread

92 RAMADAN Mark the Muslim holy month with Zaynah Din’s recipes 102 MY FAVOURITE DISH Samin Nosrat’s roast chicken FIND THE BUCKWUD BOTTLES AND WIN A KITCHENAID BUNDLE WORTH £500

SPOTLIGHT 67 EAT MORE BEANS All the reasons why you should include this humble ingredient in your diet

HEALTH 78 GOOD MOOD FOOD Dr Chintal’s dark chocolate torte 81 FUEL FOR LIFE A guide to wellbeing for men

We’ve hidden 10 Buckwud maple syrup bottles in this issue. Find them all for a chance to win a KitchenAid mixer plus Pancake Day hamper. To start you off, you can count this bottle (but not Buckwud ad pages). Scan the QR code for details and to enter.

OUR AWARDS BSME Awards 2024

PPA Awards 2024

Editor of the Year (Food and Drink) Keith Kendrick, Good Food

Campaign of the Year: Good Food app takeover by Nadiya Hussain

Britain’s number one food media brand AOP Digital Publishing Awards 2023

AOP Digital Publishing Awards 2023

Best Online Brand: Editorial Team of Consumer the Year: Consumer Good Food Good Food and olive

4 goodfood.com FEBRUARY 2026

BSME Awards 2023 The Readly Award Good Food What’s Your Perfect Comfort Food? (October 2022)

The Publisher Podcast Awards 2023 Best Food & Drink Podcast Good Food Podcast

PPA Awards 2022

Media Brand of the Year (Consumer Media) Good Food

Editor of the Year (Consumer Media) Lily Barclay

Writer of the Year Melissa Thompson, Good Food

goodfood.com and olivemagazine.com

BSME Awards 2021 Editor of the Year, Food & Drink Lily Barclay

PPA Awards 2021 Media Brand of the Year Good Food

IN THE KNOW 110 LEARN SOMETHING NEW Advice on freezing and batch-cooking 112 NEXT LEVEL Impress a loved one with steak frites

104

114 5 OF THE BEST Top kitchen kit reviewed 115 THE BEST CHOCOLATE CAKE Cassie Best’s go-to recipe 118 BOOKS FOR COOKS Titles to look out for this month, plus creamy Swedish meatballs 123 GOOD FOOD RECOMMENDS Tried and tested food and drinks

TRAVEL

58 The Good Food Wine Subscription – receive free fizz, olive oil and glasses. See page 90 for details.

130 GOING ON SAFARI Take in the wildlife on a luxury trip 132 ALL-INCLUSIVE EURO BREAKS Resorts for a weekend getaway 135 WHAT TO EAT IN SWITZERLAND Enjoy the best fondue and raclette

Iceland’s Viking heritage p98 l Iconic rail journeys in Scotland or the Isle of Man p105 l Eight amazing escorted trips throughout Europe p120 l Tours to India’s Golden Triangle or Italy’s lakes p129 l Join James Martin on a Norwegian cruise p134

Recipes for everyone We always include quick, easy dishes, ideas for relaxed entertaining and more challenging recipes for when you want to take your skills up a notch. Tested and trusted All our recipes are thoroughly tested by experts to ensure they’ll work for you. We put our gadgets through a rigorous testing process and carry out our taste tests fairly. Our restaurant and travel recommendations have all been tried by one of us. Ethical We care about the food we eat, the people who produce it and the effect this has on the world. In our test kitchen, we use humanely reared British meats, high-welfare chicken and eggs, and sustainable fish whenever possible. We aim to help you avoid food waste, with advice on using leftovers. Healthy eating Every recipe is analysed by our BANT-registered nutritionist, so you can be informed when you choose what to eat. We flag up vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free recipes. Find out more about our health philosophy on page 136.

EVERY MONTH

Eating like a local One of the joys of travel – both in the UK and overseas – is discovering great food. Our features are written from an insider perspective by on-the-ground writers and food and travel journalists.

7 RECIPE INDEX Find every recipe in this issue

Independent and respected We are impartial and independent, so you can trust our advice and recommendations on everything from restaurants and wine to kitchen gadgets and more. We encourage your input on your local finds, and appreciate your feedback on our recommendations.

138 IN THE GF TEST KITCHEN See what we’ve been cooking

l Explore the British coastline or

Biggest and best We’re proud to be Britain’s biggest-selling food magazine and the UK’s No.1 food website, goodfood.com. Our contributors – chefs, our in-house team and confident columnists – are experts in their fields. Join the conversation in our twice weekly podcasts. Our best-selling cookbooks feature our trusted recipes.

Families and children Families can need help to create harmonious mealtimes, so we address this by flagging up ‘family’ recipes. We encourage children and teenagers to get cooking with recipes that help them to learn new skills. Find out more at goodfood.com/family-kids.

99 NEXT MONTH Look ahead to our March issue

For more great savings, visit goodfood.com/reader-offers

Good Food is the UK’s No.1 food lifestyle media brand. We are passionate about food and cooking. While recipes are at the heart of what we do, we are committed to helping you have the best food experience you can, whether you’re shopping for food, in your kitchen or eating out in the UK or abroad. This is what we promise:

137 OUT & ABOUT Must-visit events for February, including a vegan festival and half-term days out

48 SUBSCRIBER CLUB Enjoy member benefits and savings

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Why you can trust

THROUGHOUT THIS ISSUE Look out for our planet-friendlier badge, helping you make informed choices on how to shop and cook more sustainably 124 SHAKING THINGS UP Small businesses tackling the everyday challenge of eating well 128 CLIMATE HEROES A community meals service that helps prevent food waste

Food is our passion and pleasure We take food seriously, but we also believe it’s a pleasure to be enjoyed, whether cooking for the family, trying an unfamiliar ingredient, buying new products or eating out. We share our food discoveries and adventures with you – and love you to share the same with us on social media using #goodfoodeveryday.

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Our commitment At Immediate Media, publishers of Good Food, we respect and value differences. We understand that when people from different backgrounds and with different points of view work together, we can create the most value for our readers, our people and society. We always strive to be inclusive, but we need to do better. We have been taking time to listen and understand how we can make positive changes, and how we can better support and increase diversity across all our brands. We continue to work on a comprehensive plan to create and drive authentic change.

FEBRUARY 2026 goodfood.com 5

10G PROTEIN

AUTHENTIC NY BAGELS WITH BENEFITS

Try Lighter and High Fibre bagels too! Find us in the bakery aisle!

index

INSTANT RECIPE FINDER BREAKFAST & BRUNCH Creamy garlic butter mushrooms crêpes 54 Crispy sausage, onion & egg breakfast tostadas 60 Keema shakshuka 96 Kimchi & sesame spinach with mature cheddar crêpes 54 Scrambled omelette toast topper 82 Smoky beans on toast 73 Turkey & avocado toast 83

MEAT Carbonara butter beans 73 Chinese hotpot 62 Cumin-spiced lamb chops with roasted squash 46 Lamb with buckwheat noodles & tomato dressing 86 Next level steak frites 113 Pork chops & mustardy butter beans 75 Salami & chilli calzones 58 Sausage & fennel gnocchi bake 36 Spicy nduja cannelloni 42 Swedish meatballs 119 Wonton soup 64

POULTRY Buttermilk-marinated roast chicken 104 Chicken balls in sweet & sour sauce 62

Chicken, corn & miso risotto 38 Green chilli chicken pot pies 22 Hot honey crispy chicken burgers with blue cheese slaw 58 Kale, avocado & chicken salad in ranch dressing 17 One-pot chicken biryani 96 Persian-style saffron chicken rice 46

FISH & SEAFOOD Lentil & tuna salad 74 One-pot prawn & lentil curry 75 Smoked haddock & leek chowder with cheddar dumplings 28

VEGETARIAN MAINS Buckwheat dutch baby with harissa-roasted purple sprouting broccoli, whipped feta & dill 13 Caramelised leek udon with sesame fried eggs 39 Ful medames 76 Halloumi, sundried tomato & caper pizzettes with rocket pesto 37 One-pan harissa penne alle vodka 35 Smoky peanut butter mole with black beans 30 Tomato & lentil soup with sizzled onions & tahini yogurt 27

make it, snap it, post it ay @goodfoodeveryd day #goodfoodevery

STARTERS, SIDES & EXTRAS Alpine-style cheesy cabbage gratin 19 Burger sauce 40 Charred brussels salad with chilli & crispy onions 11 Cheeseburger sausage rolls 40 Coronation chickpea sandwich filler 74 Crêpes 52 Halloumi & beetroot open sandwich 84 Pastry bites 22 Roasted chickpeas 76 Spiced kale crisps 85 Za’atar flatbreads 27

BAKING, DRINKS & DESSERTS Cassie’s favourite chocolate fudge cake 117 Chocolate & black bean brownies 76 Chocolate crêpes suzette 54 Feel-good dark chocolate torte 80 Malty NYC-style choc chunk cookies 24 Matcha falooda 96 Passion fruit & vanilla mascarpone crêpes 54 Rhubarb, ricotta & pistachio cake 15 Tanghulu 64

Vegan

Tell us what you think! We’re always looking to serve up the best content. Scan the QR code to rate us – it only takes a minute! Your feedback helps shape the future of our brand Thank you – the Good Food team Good Food (ISSN No: 0957-588X) is published monthly by Immediate Media Company, London UK, and is distributed in the USA by ePG, 18 Central Blvd, S Hackensack NJ 07606. Periodicals postage paid at So Hackensack NJ. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Good Food, c/o 18 Central Blvd, S Hackensack NJ 07606

FEBRUARY 2026 goodfood.com 7

At its best In the last days of winter enjoy bright colour and flavour with forced rhubarb, brussels sprouts and purple sprouting broccoli recipes HELENA BUSIAKIEWICZ photographs JAMES LEE FEBRUARY 2026 goodfood.com 9

Brussels sprouts 10 goodfood.com FEBRUARY 2026

The ultimate love-it-or-hate-it veg, sprouts may be divisive, but they’re a versatile crop to enjoy during the colder months. At their peak from October to March, they can be added to stir-fries with onions and ginger, shaved thinly and eaten raw with a creamy dressing, or pan-fried with pancetta for a quick side. Most sprout-haters avoid them due to texture; when boiled, they can be mushy, but when fried, roasted or charred, they’re more interesting and flavourful. If you can buy them on the stalk, do – they’ll keep for longer. Look for plump, bright green sprouts with tightly packed leaves – the smaller, the sweeter.

seasonal

Charred brussels salad with chilli & crispy onions This zingy salad is full of different textures and would go very well with spiced chicken kebabs. SERVES 4 as part of a spread PREP 10 mins COOK 45 mins EASY

500g brussel sprouts, 1/2 thinly sliced, 1/2 cut in half 180ml vegetable oil 40g cornflour ¼ tsp ground turmeric 1 large red chilli, sliced 2 red onions, sliced 2 limes, zested and juiced (you’ll need 60ml juice) 3 tbsp fish sauce 1 tsp light brown soft sugar 20g coriander, roughly chopped 15g basil leaves, picked and torn

1 Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/ gas 6. Put the halved sprouts on a large tray and drizzle over 1 tbsp of the oil. Season and roast for 30 mins until softened and golden. Leave to cool slightly. 2 When the sprouts have 15 mins left in the oven, heat the remaining oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Put the cornflour, turmeric and a pinch of salt in a medium bowl. Whisk in 35-40ml water until you have a thin, batter-like consistency. Toss the sliced chilli and onions through the batter to coat, then fry in the hot oil for 2-3 mins on each side until lightly golden (you’ll need to do this in batches). Don’t worry if they clump together, but the chillies will fry more quickly, so remove them earlier. Drain on kitchen paper, then season with a little salt. 3 Tip the lime zest and juice into a large bowl, and stir in the fish sauce, brown sugar and a few twists of black pepper. Toss with the roasted sprouts, the herbs and half the crispy chillies and onions, breaking them up slightly if needed. Serve on a platter, garnished with the rest of the crispy chillies and onions. GOOD TO KNOW folate • fibre • vit c • 2 of 5-a-day • gluten free PER SERVING 257 kcals • fat 14g • saturates 1g • carbs 21g • sugars 9g • fibre 8g • protein 6g • salt 3.04g

FEBRUARY 2026 goodfood.com 11

Purple sprouting broccoli 12 goodfood.com FEBRUARY 2026

Just coming into season this month, purple sprouting broccoli is the more colourful, leafier cousin to your standard broccoli. You can cook it in much the same way you would regular broccoli or cauliflower. Steaming, stir-frying or roasting will highlight its flavour and vibrant colour, and it pairs well with parmesan, anchovies, leeks, mushrooms and blue cheese in gratins or pasta. Choose stalks that have dark greenpurple leaves and florets. Avoid those with yellowy florets and wilted leaves.

seasonal Buckwheat dutch baby with harissa-roasted purple sprouting broccoli, whipped feta & dill Here’s a great option for Pancake Day, as it means nobody’s stuck flipping pancakes. Buckwheat flour adds nutty flavour, but if you don’t have it, substitute with plain. SERVES 4-6 PREP 30 mins COOK 30 mins EASY V

400g purple sprouting broccoli, woody ends peeled 2 tbsp harissa 2 tbsp olive oil 50g plain flour 50g buckwheat flour 3 eggs, beaten 150ml whole milk 40ml vegetable oil 4 soft-boiled eggs, halved 10g dill, leaves picked 1 tsp Aleppo pepper 15g flaked almonds For the whipped feta 200g feta 3 tbsp soft cheese 1 lemon, zested, 1/2 juiced 1 tbsp olive oil

1 Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/ gas 6. Put the broccoli in a roasting tin lined with baking parchment. Toss with the harissa and olive oil, season and roast for 20 mins. Cover to keep warm. Meanwhile, combine both flours and a large pinch of salt in a bowl. Whisk in the egg, a little at a time. Once thickened, slowly whisk in the milk. Set aside. 2 Turn the oven to 210C/190C fan/ gas 7. Heat the veg oil in a cast-iron or ovenproof pan in the oven for 8-10 mins, or until smoking hot. Carefully pour in the batter and bake for 18-20 mins until puffed and golden. Briefly reheat the broccoli in the oven. 3 For the whipped feta, tip the feta into a food processor with the soft cheese, lemon zest, juice, oil and seasoning. Blitz until creamy, 1-2 mins. 4 Remove the dutch baby from the pan (it should lift out easily if cooked) and put on a serving plate. Top with the whipped feta, broccoli, soft-boiled eggs, dill, Aleppo pepper and almonds. GOOD TO KNOW calcium • folate • vit c 1 of 5-a-day PER SERVING (6) 372 kcals • fat 27g • saturates 9g • carbs 16g • sugars 4g • fibre 4g • protein 15g • salt 1.13g

FEBRUARY JANUARY 2026 goodfood.com 13

Forced rhubarb 14 goodfood.com FEBRUARY 2026

Unlike outdoor-grown maincrop rhubarb that appears in springtime, forced rhubarb is a wintry delight. Grown under pots in the ‘rhubarb triangle’ between Leeds, Wakefield and Bradford, it’s more tender and delicate than its maincrop counterpart, with watermelon-pink stalks and pale leaves. Forced rhubarb doesn’t usually need to be peeled – just wash, trim, slice and use to make crumbles, pies or jams. Or, if you’re feeling more adventurous, rhubarb can also provide a tart note in savoury dishes, balancing fatty pork and duck or creating a more interesting salsa. Forced rhubarb is only available from January to February, so get it while you can – keep it chilled with the leaves on until you’re ready to use it.

seasonal Rhubarb, ricotta & pistachio cake Ricotta provides lovely tang to cakes and softens the crumb texture. If you don’t have it, you could use soured cream instead. SERVES 6-8 PREP 25 mins plus cooling COOK 1 hr EASY V

200g salted butter, softened plus extra for the tin 170g forced rhubarb, cut into 4-5cm pieces 1 orange, zested and juiced 250g golden caster sugar 3 eggs, beaten 150g self-raising flour 100g ricotta 45g shelled pistachios, roughly chopped custard, to serve (optional)

1 Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/ gas 4. Butter a 20cm springform cake tin and line with baking parchment. Line a baking tray with baking parchment. Put the rhubarb on the tray, then sprinkle over the orange juice and 50g of the sugar. Rub all over to coat, then roast for 15 mins until a sharp knife can be inserted easily, but it still holds its shape. Leave to cool. 2 Put the remaining sugar, the butter and orange zest in a large bowl, then beat using an electric whisk for 4-5 mins until light and fluffy. Whisk in the egg, a little at a time, adding a spoonful of flour if it starts to curdle. 3 Beat in the ricotta, then sift over the flour and fold to combine. Pour into the prepared tin and smooth the surface, then arrange the roasted rhubarb over the top (reserve the roasting juices from the tray). Scatter over the pistachios. 4 Bake for 1 hr until golden, risen and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Leave to cool slightly but while the cake is still warm, brush over some of the reserved rhubarb roasting juices. Leave to cool completely in the tin before serving. Cut into wedges and serve with custard, if you like. Will keep in a cake tin for up to three days. PER SERVING (8) 461 kcals • fat 27g • saturates 15g • carbs 48g • sugars 33g • fibre 2g • protein 7g • salt 0.73g

FEBRUARY JANUARY 2026 goodfood.com 15

Kale 16 goodfood.com FEBRUARY 2026

While kale sometimes requires a little extra prep, it’s well worth the effort. You can find smooth or curly varieties in supermarkets (curly being the most common), but both are members of the cabbage family, with green leaves and a strong, distinct flavour. If you want to eat it raw, like in our salad, opposite, it’s best to ‘massage’ it first. Rub the leaves between your fingers with olive oil or lemon juice to break down any tough fibres and soften them. But, you can also cook it as you would cabbage by boiling, steaming, stir-frying and even baking into crisps as we’ ve done here (and on p85). When buying kale, look for smaller heads as they’ll be more tender. Store in the fridge in a perforated bag, and eat within three days before it becomes bitter.

seasonal Kale, avocado & chicken salad in ranch dressing SERVES 4 PREP 30 mins COOK 20 mins EASY

50g plain flour ½ tsp cayenne pepper 2 eggs, beaten 10g parmesan, finely grated 2 tbsp everything bagel seasoning 70g panko breadcrumbs 4 skinless, boneless chicken thighs, chopped into 4-5cm chunks 75ml vegetable oil (optional), for deep-frying 250g chopped curly kale 2 tbsp olive oil 1 tsp onion granules 1 avocado, peeled, halved, stoned and chopped into chunks 60g pink pickled onions For the ranch dressing 70g Japanese-style mayonnaise 70ml buttermilk ½ lemon, juiced 1 tsp white wine vinegar ½ tsp garlic granules ½ tsp onion granules 10g chives, finely chopped, plus extra to serve 5g dill, roughly chopped, plus extra to serve

1 Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/ gas 6. Mix the flour and cayenne in a shallow bowl, tip the eggs into a second and combine the parmesan, bagel seasoning and panko in a third. Line a plate with baking parchment. 2 Coat the chicken in the flour, then the egg, then the panko. Put on the plate. Heat the veg oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat and, once hot, fry the chicken for 5 mins on each side until cooked and golden. Drain on kitchen paper. Alternatively, air-fry at 200C for 8-10 mins. 3 Massage 150g of the kale with half the olive oil, the onion granules and a pinch of salt. Bake on a large baking tray for 5-6 mins until dark and crisp. Massage the remaining kale with the rest of the oil and a pinch of salt, then leave to soften for 3-4 mins. Combine the dressing ingredients and season. 4 Toss the softened kale with most of the dressing. Tip onto a platter. Top with the crispy kale, avocado, pickled onions and chicken. Serve with the remaining dressing on the side. GOOD TO KNOW folate • fibre • vit c • 1 of 5-a-day PER SERVING 644 kcals • fat 42g • saturates 8g • carbs 28g • sugars 3g • fibre 6g • protein 35g • salt 1.84g

FEBRUARY JANUARY 2026 goodfood.com 17

Stylist HANNAH WILKINSON

Shoot director LAURIE NEWMANN | Food stylist ROSIE REYNOLDS

Savoy cabbage 18 goodfood.com FEBRUARY 2026

The brassica family is huge, and cabbage is the star of it. Crinkly-leafed, bright green Savoy is ideal for cooking, with its mildly sweet, earthy flavour holding up well to bold notes like soy sauce, garlic, ginger, chilli, fresh herbs and bacon. Look for bright cabbages with crisp leaves, avoiding any that feel puffy or have holes (which may be a sign of insects). Before cooking, remove any damaged outer leaves, then finely shred, chop or slice before stir-frying, roasting, grilling or eating raw. A whole Savoy can be kept in the fridge for up to two weeks, but once cut, use it within three days for the best results and flavour.

seasonal Alpine-style cheesy cabbage gratin Serve this alongside a Sunday roast. If you like, you can swap the emmental or gruyère for comté. SERVES 4-6 PREP 30 mins COOK 1 hr EASY

1 Savoy cabbage, cut into 8 thick wedges, excess stalk trimmed 5 thyme sprigs, leaves picked and finely chopped 1 large rosemary sprig, leaves picked and finely chopped 3 garlic cloves, grated 5 tbsp olive oil 20g salted butter ¼ tsp smoked paprika 20g plain flour 450ml whole milk 1 tbsp Dijon mustard ½ whole nutmeg, grated 115g emmental, coarsely grated 85g gruyère, coarsely grated 30g panko breadcrumbs

1 Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/ gas 6. Put the cabbage in a large cast-iron casserole or pan that fits it snugly (ours was 32cm). Combine most of the thyme (reserving 1 tsp) with the rosemary, garlic, oil and seasoning in a small bowl. Brush over the cabbage, coating between the leaves too. Roast for 30-35 mins, turning halfway, until a sharp knife slides through to the core with ease. 2 Meanwhile, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over a low heat and, once foaming, toast the paprika for 30 seconds. Stir in the flour to make a paste. Add the milk, a splash at a time, stirring until smooth. 3 Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer. Stir in the mustard, nutmeg and seasoning. Remove from the heat. Stir in most of the cheese a handful at a time, reserving a small handful. Return to a low heat if the cheese isn’t fully melting. 4 When the cabbage is cooked, heat the grill to high. Stir the reserved thyme through the panko. Season. Pour the cheese sauce over the cabbage to fully coat. Scatter over the panko and remaining cheese, and grill for 10-12 mins until golden, bubbling and crisp on top. Serve with a roast dinner or green salad. GOOD TO KNOW calcium • folate • vit c • 1 of 5-a-day PER SERVING 361 kcals • fat 26g • saturates 12g • carbs 14g • sugars 6g • fibre 4g • protein 16g • salt 0.92g

FEBRUARY 2026 goodfood.com 19

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All these recipes can be easily doubled and frozen to save you time and money – it’s the ultimate kitchen hack recipes CASSIE BEST photographs TOM REGESTER

FEBRUARY 2026 goodfood.com 21

Green chilli chicken pot pies Put a delicious twist on chicken pie inspired by Mexican green chicken chilli (or chilli verde) – it amps up the flavour while retaining the comfort factor. Make one big pie or smaller individual portions to suit your family set-up. This is lovely served with sweet potato mash and an extra scattering of chilli for those who love spice. SERVES 6 PREP 30 mins plus cooling COOK 1 hr 20 mins EASY ❄

2 tbsp olive oil 8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs 1 large onion, finely chopped 1 green pepper, finely chopped 150g frozen sweetcorn 50g butter 1-2 fresh green jalapeños, deseeded and finely chopped 6-8 pickled green jalapeño slices, chopped, plus 1 tbsp brine from the jar 3 garlic cloves, crushed 1 tsp smoked paprika ½ tsp dried oregano 1 tsp ground cumin 2 tsp ground coriander 25g plain flour 1 chicken stock cube 100g soured cream small bunch of coriander, finely chopped (including stalks) 1 lime, juiced 1 egg, beaten 2 x 325g sheets ready-rolled, all-butter puff pastry 2 tsp cumin seeds (optional)

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1 Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a large frying pan or saucepan over a medium-high heat. Season the chicken and cook until browned, about 4-5 mins on each side. (You may need to do this in batches.) Remove to a plate. 2 Heat the remaining 1 tbsp oil in the pan over a low-medium heat and cook the onion, pepper and sweetcorn until softened, about 6-8 mins. 3 Add the butter, fresh and pickled jalapeños, the garlic and dried spices. Stir for a few minutes until the butter has melted and the spices are aromatic. Stir in the flour, then crumble in the stock cube and cook for another minute. 4 Slowly pour 500ml boiling water from the kettle into the pan, stirring continuously until you have a smooth sauce. Add the reserved jalapeño brine. Bubble for a few minutes until the sauce thickens slightly, then return the chicken to the pan, making sure it’s submerged. Cover and simmer for 15 mins, stirring occasionally to ensure the sauce isn’t catching. Add a splash more water, if needed. 5 Shred the chicken using two forks, or cut into chunks using a pair of kitchen scissors. Stir in the soured cream, fresh coriander and lime juice, and season. Leave to cool. 6 Divide the pie filling between three small pie dishes (or make

22 goodfood.com FEBRUARY 2026

three double portions). Brush a little of the beaten egg around the rim of each dish. Unroll the pastry and cut lids large enough to fit the pies. Cover the pies with the pastry lids and crimp the edges to help them stick, or press the tines of a fork around the edge to seal. Brush the tops with more beaten egg and gently score a cross into the top of each using a knife for the steam to escape. Sprinkle over the cumin seeds, if using. Will keep wrapped and frozen for up to two months. 7 Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/ gas 4. Bake the pies for 40 mins (or 55 mins from frozen) until the filling is piping hot when a food thermometer is inserted into the centre – it should reach 70C. Or, push a metal skewer into the centre of the pie for 30 seconds, then check it is piping hot. Serve with mash (sweet potato mash works well) and cooked veg. GOOD TO KNOW fibre • vit c • 1 of 5-a-day PER SERVING 750 kcals • fat 49g • saturates 22g • carbs 48g • sugars 6g • fibre 7g • protein 26g • salt 2.15g

tip PASTRY BITES Brush any pastry offcuts with beaten egg and sprinkle over some grated parmesan, rosemary and chilli flakes, if you like. Cut into small shapes using a pizza wheel and bake alongside the pies, or freeze until needed. They make a great nibble with a cocktail!

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Malty NYC-style choc chunk cookies I fell in love with this chunky style of cookie packed with melty chocolate pieces on a recent trip to New York. They’re best cooked from frozen, as the dough is quite soft and would spread too quickly if cooked straightaway. Make up a batch for the freezer so you can bake one or two whenever you have a craving. MAKES 12 PREP 25 mins plus 30 mins chilling, 2 hrs freezing COOK 20 mins EASY V ❄

200g salted butter, softened 175g light muscovado sugar 75g caster sugar 2 medium eggs 1 tsp vanilla extract 325g plain flour 2 tbsp malted milk powder (we used Horlicks) 2 ½ tsp baking powder ½ tsp sea salt flakes, plus a pinch 75g walnuts, roughly chopped (optional) 200g dark chocolate, roughly chopped 100g milk chocolate, roughly chopped

1 Weigh the butter and sugars into a large bowl, then whisk using an electric whisk or stand mixer until smooth, about 3 mins on high. Add in the eggs, one at a time, then the vanilla extract, whisking until fully incorporated. 2 Weigh the flour, malted milk powder, baking powder and sea salt flakes into a bowl. Tip the dry ingredients into the wet along with the walnuts (if using) and most of the chocolate, reserving a few pieces for the tops of the cookies. Mix into a sticky dough, then chill for 30 mins. 3 Line two large baking trays with baking parchment. Scoop the dough into 100g balls (use an ice cream scoop, if you like) and arrange on the prepared trays well spaced apart. Press the reserved chocolate pieces into the tops of the cookies, then freeze for at least 2 hrs.

Will keep frozen in food bags or a freezerproof container for up to three months. 4 Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/ gas 6. If the cookies have been frozen in bags or containers, arrange them on a baking tray lined with baking parchment, leaving plenty of space between each. Bake for 18-20 mins until lightly golden at the edges and gooey in the centre. If you prefer your cookies more cakey, bake for an additional 2 mins. Sprinkle over a small pinch of sea salt flakes, then leave to cool on the tray for at least 15 mins before serving. Best served within two days, but can be refreshed in the microwave – warm for about 15 seconds. PER SERVING 466 kcals • fat 25g • saturates 15g • carbs 54g • sugars 30g • fibre 3g • protein 6g • salt 0.88g

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Tomato & lentil soup with sizzled onions & tahini yogurt This soup is like a hug in a bowl, packed with earthy flavours that are lifted by lemon and sumac. Don’t skip the sizzled onions and tahini yogurt – they bring texture and balance everything beautifully. SERVES 4 PREP 20 mins COOK 50 mins EASY V ❄

4 tbsp olive or rapeseed oil 2 large onions, 1 chopped, 1 thinly sliced 1 large carrot, finely chopped 4 garlic cloves 2 large bay leaves 1 cinnamon stick ½ tsp ground turmeric 1 tsp ground ginger 1 tsp fennel seeds 1 tsp sumac, plus a pinch to serve 1 tbsp ground cumin 1 tbsp tomato purée 2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes 200g dried green lentils 1 vegetable or chicken stock cube 2 tsp sugar 1 lemon, zested and juiced 100g thick natural yogurt or labneh 1 tbsp tahini 1 tsp honey small bunch of coriander, leaves picked, stalks finely chopped drizzle of extra virgin olive oil

1 Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a large saucepan over a low-medium heat and cook the chopped onion and carrot with a pinch of salt for 8-10 mins until the veg has softened and the onion is translucent. Stir in the garlic, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, turmeric, ginger, fennel seeds, sumac, cumin and tomato purée, letting the spices sizzle for a few minutes. Add the tomatoes and lentils, then crumble in the stock cube. Fill one of the tomato cans with water three times, and add this, too (about 1.2 litres).

2 Partially cover the pan with a lid and cook for 30 mins until the lentils are soft but retain some bite. Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and cook the sliced onion until deep golden brown and crispy, about 15 mins. 3 When the soup is cooked, adjust the thickness to your liking, adding a splash more water or boiling longer to reduce slightly. Season well with the sugar, some salt, plenty of black pepper and the lemon juice. If you’re freezing the soup, stir in the sizzled onions; otherwise, save them for topping. Once cool, will keep frozen for up to three months. Defrost in the fridge overnight, then reheat thoroughly. 4 Combine the yogurt, tahini, lemon zest, honey and a pinch of salt. Stir in a splash of cold water to loosen to the consistency of double cream. 5 Stir most of the coriander into the soup, reserving a few leaves. Ladle the soup into bowls, then top with a drizzle of the tahini yogurt, the sizzled onions, coriander leaves and a pinch of sumac. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil to serve.

tip SERVE WITH ZA’ATAR FLATBREADS Brush a few flatbreads with olive oil and scatter with za’atar. Warm in the oven then serve alongside the soup for dunking.

GOOD TO KNOW low cal • fibre • vit c • iron • 4 of 5-a-day PER SERVING 397 kcals • fat 16g • saturates 3g • carbs 41g • sugars 22g • fibre 12g • protein 16g • salt 0.87g

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Smoked haddock & leek chowder with cheddar dumplings Swap the haddock for any smoked white fish, or use oily fish, such as salmon or trout in this — you can add prawns, too. Look for the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) stamp to ensure your seafood is certified sustainable. SERVES 4 PREP 30 mins COOK 40 mins EASY ❄

400g smoked haddock (about 4 fillets) 2 bay leaves 500ml whole milk 2 tbsp olive or rapeseed oil 2 leeks, sliced 100g frozen sweetcorn 2 tbsp butter 2 tbsp plain flour 1 tbsp Dijon mustard small bunch of chives, chopped For the dumplings 150g plain flour 11/2 tsp baking powder 50g cold butter 50g mature cheddar, plus extra for the topping 4 tbsp milk

1 Put the haddock and bay leaves in a saucepan, and pour over the milk. Warm over a medium heat until the milk is just steaming, then remove from the heat and leave the fish to poach for 10 mins. 2 Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large pan over a low-medium heat and cook the leeks with a pinch of salt for 8-10 mins until softened. Add the sweetcorn and butter, stirring for a few minutes until the butter has melted. Sprinkle in the flour and mix until the leeks are coated in a floury paste. Pour the warm poaching milk into the pan, a splash at a time, stirring until all the milk is incorporated and you have a smooth sauce that is the consistency of double cream. Season well.

3 Flake the haddock into chunks and stir it into the sauce along with the mustard and most of the chives, reserving some for the top. Transfer to a baking dish. If you’re going to freeze the chowder, leave it to cool completely first. 4 For the dumplings, weigh the flour and baking powder into a bowl with a pinch of salt. Holding the butter in its wrapper, grate it straight into the flour, stopping to mix it through every few strokes so it doesn’t clump together. Grate in the cheese, too. Mix the butter and cheese through the flour using a cutlery knife, add the milk and mix again. Briefly knead into a soft dough using your hands, then form into eight balls and arrange on top of the chowder. Grate over a little more cheese. Will keep well wrapped and frozen for up to two months. 5 Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/ gas 6. Cook the chowder for 30 mins (or 45 mins from frozen) until the dumplings have puffed up and are golden brown, and the chowder is bubbling. Scatter over the reserved chives to serve. GOOD TO KNOW calcium • 1 of 5-a-day PER SERVING 648 kcals • fat 34g • saturates 18g • carbs 49g • sugars 9g • fibre 4g • protein 35g • salt 2.68g

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Smoky peanut butter mole with black beans

cip

ou ke r e r re

Mole (pronounced moh-lay) is a rich, smoky Mexican sauce made with chillies, spices, nuts and seeds, plus sometimes dried fruit and chocolate, creating layers of flavour. Though often served with chicken, we’ve used black beans here. You can freeze it in portions, then use it as a filling for tacos, jacket potatoes or quesadillas, serve over rice or loosen with water to serve as a soup with tortillas for dunking.

Shoot directors RACHEL BAYLY, FREDDIE STEWART | Food stylist ROSIE REYNOLDS | Stylist JO HARRIS

SERVES 8 PREP 20 mins COOK 45 mins EASY V ❄

2 tbsp vegetable or olive oil 2 onions, finely chopped 1 tbsp ground cumin 1 tbsp ground coriander 2 tsp smoked paprika 1 large cinnamon stick 1 /4 tsp ground cloves 4 garlic cloves, crushed 2 tbsp chipotle paste 2 tbsp tomato purée 50g raisins 2 tbsp natural peanut butter 11/2 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder 1 tbsp brown sugar 2 tbsp red wine vinegar 700ml vegetable or chicken stock 1 red onion, finely sliced 4 limes, 2 juiced, 2 cut into wedges 50g sesame seeds 50g peanuts 1 /4 tsp smoked paprika 4 x 400g cans black beans, drained To serve warm corn tortillas, baked sweet potatoes or cooked rice 1 avocado, sliced 200g feta, crumbled small bunch of coriander, roughly chopped

1 Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat and cook the onion with a pinch of salt until translucent and lightly browned, about 8-10 mins. Add the cumin, ground coriander, paprika, cinnamon stick and cloves. Toast for 30 seconds until fragrant. Stir in the garlic, chipotle paste, tomato purée and raisins, and cook, stirring, for 1-2 mins. Stir in the peanut butter, cocoa powder, brown sugar and vinegar until combined. Slowly pour in the stock, whisking into a smooth, rich sauce. 2 Bring to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 15-20 mins, stirring occasionally until the sauce has thickened slightly. Meanwhile, mix the red onions with the juice of 1 lime and a pinch of salt in a non-metallic bowl, and set aside to lightly pickle. Toast the sesame seeds and peanuts in a dry frying pan for 3-4 mins until golden, then season with the paprika and a pinch of salt. Set aside. 3 Remove the cinnamon stick from the mole and blitz the sauce until smooth using a hand blender (you

& Turn to page 110 for more brilliant batch-cook ideas and freezer tips

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can skip this step if you prefer it chunkier). Stir in the black beans and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for another 10-15 mins until the beans have absorbed the mole’s flavour, but are still whole. Add a splash of water if the sauce becomes too thick. 4 Stir in the remaining lime juice, then taste and adjust with salt, pepper, sugar or more chipotle, if you like it smokier or spicier. Serve with tortillas, baked sweet potatoes or rice, plus the avocado, feta, coriander, the toasted seed and nuts, pickled red onions and lime wedges on the side to squeeze over. GOOD TO KNOW fibre • 2 of 5-a-day PER SERVING 335 kcals • fat 18g • saturates 6g • carbs 23g • sugars 12g • fibre 8g • protein 16g • salt 1.27g

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Read. . k o o C Eat. Repeat. Discover food inspiration from all our trusted magazines

collection

cook smart Every penny counts these days, so we’re helping you maximise your weekly shop; whether it’s reinventing leftovers, stocking your storecupboard, or learning new techniques, our aim to Cook Smart ensures delicious low-cost meals

Cook it tonight Halloumi, sundried tomato & caper pizzettes with rocket pesto, p37

Discover more Cook Smart recipes and guides at goodfood.com/budget

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february

cook smart tonight Use a few storecupboard heroes to transform humble ingredients into flavourful, low-cost midweek meals recipes ANNA GLOVER photographs HANNAH TAYLOR-EDDINGTON

£1.56 per serving

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cook smart easy

One-pan harissa penne alla vodka

Storecupboard stars ● Harissa ● White miso ● Sundried tomato paste ● Crispy chilli oil

SERVES 2 PREP 5 mins COOK 20 mins EASY

1 tbsp olive oil 2 garlic cloves 2 tbsp rose harissa 3 tbsp vodka 300ml passata 400g can white beans (cannellini, haricot or chickpeas), drained (see tip, below) 200g penne 500ml chicken or vegetable stock 4 tbsp mascarpone, soft cheese or double cream 10g parmesan handful of basil leaves

1 Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Finely grate or crush the garlic into the warm oil, and stir in the harissa. Sizzle for a minute until fragrant, splash in the vodka, then pour in the passata. 2 Add the beans. Bring to a simmer. Add the pasta and stock. Simmer for 12-14 mins until the pasta is al dente and the sauce thickened – stir regularly to prevent sticking, adding a splash of water to loosen, if needed. Season with salt, pepper and a pinch of sugar to balance the acidity, if needed. Stir in the mascarpone, soft cheese or cream. 3 Finely grate over the parmesan and scatter over the basil to serve. GOOD TO KNOW fibre • 2 of 5-a-day PER SERVING 812 kcals • fat 25g • saturates 11g • carbs 99g • sugars 11g • fibre 16g • protein 27g • salt 2.61g

tip The beans add a robust texture, protein and fibre, but you can leave them out for a more classic pasta alla vodka.

get the most from our meals We’ll point out any swaps If you can use things like yogurt instead of crème fraîche, chives instead of spring onions or butter beans instead of cannellini beans, we’ll let you know, so you’re not buying extra ingredients. This also helps prevent food waste.

Optional extras are your choice If you have them, great, but if you don’t, don’t worry! We’re talking the final garnishes of nuts, seeds or lime wedges – don’t put them in your shopping basket just for one recipe.

All meals will serve at least two ...and any dishes with larger servings will be designed to be freezable in portions, so you can batch-cook them.

Dishes will be quick to make We know time is of the essence in the week, but you still want inventive and delicious dinners. Our promise is that dinner will be on the table within an hour – and often in less time.

We’ll use storecupboard staples All the recipes in this series will aim to include items that are already in your storecupboard. This means that if you cook from this series regularly, you’ll get to explore new ways to use up the rest of the ingredient, rather than having it linger in the back of your fridge until you make the same meal again.

Gadgets will be go-tos We love a gadget here at Good Food, especially if it means avoiding turning the oven on midweek. So, we’ll give you options for the air fryer and other gadgets where we can, but try to avoid anything that requires extra washing-up, like food processors, stand mixers or excessive pans, where possible.

All the prep is in the method ...so you can cook the recipe in real time.

All feedback welcome Want us to feature an ingredient that you need to use up? Have some thoughts on our new way of cooking tonight? We’d love to hear your comments. Send an email to goodfood@immediate.co.uk with your feedback.

FEBRUARY 2026 goodfood.com 35

Sausage & fennel gnocchi bake SERVES 2 PREP 10 mins COOK 25 mins EASY

1-2 tbsp olive oil 4 sausages 1 fennel bulb 2 garlic cloves 200g gnocchi 4 tbsp mascarpone, soft cheese or double cream 1 /2 lemon, juiced 20g parmesan

GOOD TO KNOW calcium • fibre • vit c • 1 of 5-a-day PER SERVING 613 kcals • fat 39g • saturates 18g • carbs 42g • sugars 8g • fibre 8g • protein 19g • salt 2.01g

£1.35 per serving

Shoot director JORDAN EDMONDS-MOORE | Food stylist ROSIE REYNOLDS | Stylist FAYE WEARS

1 Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Pinch the sausagement out of the skins and into the pan in small nuggets, discarding the skins. Fry for 8-10 mins until golden and crispy. 2 Meanwhile, thinly slice the fennel bulb. Scoop the sausage pieces out

onto a plate, leaving the fat in the pan. Fry the fennel in the pan over a medium heat with a pinch of salt until soft, adding a drizzle more oil, if needed. Crush or grate in the garlic, and fry for another 2 mins. 3 Add the gnocchi along with 150ml water, and cook for 4-5 mins until tender. Stir in the mascarpone, soft cheese or cream and squeeze in the lemon juice, then season well. Heat the grill to high. 4 Stir the crispy sausage pieces back into the pan, then finely grate over the parmesan. Slide under the grill for 6-8 mins until the top is golden and crisp.

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cook smart easy

Halloumi, sundried tomato & caper pizzettes with rocket pesto SERVES 2 PREP 15 mins COOK 35 mins EASY V

2 pizza dough balls (fresh, frozen and defrosted, or homemade; see tip, below) 4 tbsp sundried tomato paste 100g (1/2 block) halloumi 2 tsp drained capers 2 tsp hot or regular honey For the pesto 2 tbsp olive oil 1 small garlic clove 1 /2 lemon, juiced few handfuls of rocket 25g almonds, pine nuts or cashews

£2.47 per serving

1 Heat the oven to 240C/220C fan/ gas 9 with a baking tray inside to heat up. Press the dough into ovals on a sheet of baking parchment. Spoon over the tomato paste, leaving a border. Coarsely grate the halloumi on a box grater, then scatter it over the pizzettes along with the capers. Bake on the hot baking tray for 15 mins until golden and crisp. 2 While the pizzettes are baking, make the pesto. Put the oil, garlic, lemon juice, rocket and nuts in a jug with a splash of water, and blitz using a hand blender or small blender until the pesto is your desired consistency. Season to taste. 3 Drizzle the honey over the cooked pizzettes and spoon over the pesto. GOOD TO KNOW calcium • 1 of 5-a-day PER SERVING 966 kcals • fat 45g • saturates 12g • carbs 106g • sugars 12g • fibre 5g • protein 31g • salt 3.36g

tip Find our easy pizza dough recipe on our website or app – just search ‘quick pizza dough’.

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Chicken, corn & miso risotto SERVES 2 PREP 5 mins COOK 35 mins EASY

1 tbsp olive oil 4 chicken thigh fillets 1 onion, shallot or bunch of spring onions 2 garlic cloves 200g risotto rice 1 glass white wine 750ml hot low-salt vegetable or chicken stock 160g frozen or canned sweetcorn 2 tbsp white miso 2 tbsp butter 25g parmesan 1 /2 lemon, juiced (optional)

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1 Heat the oil in a shallow flameproof casserole or deep frying pan over a medium heat. Season the chicken and brown for 3 mins on each side. Remove to a plate. 2 Finely chop the onion, shallot or spring onions and fry in the pan with a pinch of salt until soft, about 8 mins. Finely grate in the garlic, and fry for a minute more. 3 Stir through the rice to coat in the chicken fat. Pour in the wine and stir until absorbed. Slice the chicken and stir it back into the pan. 4 Add the stock, a ladleful at a time, until the rice is tender, creamy and the consistency of loose porridge, about 15 mins.

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5 Stir through the sweetcorn and simmer for 3 mins to warm through. Remove from the heat. Add the miso and butter, and finely grate over the parmesan. Squeeze over the lemon juice, stir and season well. GOOD TO KNOW folate • 1 of 5-a-day PER SERVING 952 kcals • fat 35g • saturates 15g • carbs 106g • sugars 8g • fibre 4g • protein 40g • salt 2.35g

tip Try a drizzle of chilli oil over the top of your risotto for a fiery kick of heat.

£2.15 per serving

JUST £49.97 SAVE £38 (plus p&p*)

cook smart easy

Caramelised leek udon with sesame fried eggs SERVES 2 PREP 10 mins COOK 20 mins EASY V

2 large leeks 2 tbsp vegetable oil 2 packs ready-to-cook udon 2 tsp sesame oil 2 eggs 1 tbsp sesame seeds 1 tsp sugar or honey 2 tbsp dark soy sauce 1 tbsp rice vinegar 2 tsp white miso 2 tsp chilli oil

1 Wash and finely slice the leeks. Heat 1 tbsp of the vegetable oil in a frying pan and fry the leeks with a pinch of salt for 10 mins until golden and caramelised. Scoop out onto a plate, keeping the oil in the pan. 2 Put the udon noodles in a heatproof bowl and pour over a kettleful of boiling water to soften. Heat the remaining vegetable oil and the sesame oil in the pan and fry the eggs for 2 mins. Sprinkle over the sesame seeds and continue to cook until crisp, spooning over the oil until cooked to your liking. Slide the eggs out of the pan onto a plate or board. 3 Spoon 3 tbsp of the noodle water into a second bowl, then add the sugar, soy sauce, vinegar and miso. Whisk to combine. Drain the noodles and tip into the pan with the sauce. Toss until the noodles are coated and glossy. Stir in the leeks. Divide between two plates, and top with the fried eggs and chilli oil.

£1.95 per serving

GOOD TO KNOW folate • fibre • vit c • 1 of 5-a-day PER SERVING 514 kcals • fat 25g • saturates 4g • carbs 47g • sugars 9g • fibre 8g • protein 20g • salt 3.73g

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monday mash-up

cheese twist

Put a spin on classic sausage rolls with a beefy, cheeseburger-inspired filling, complete with gherkins and homemade burger sauce recipe BARNEY DESMAZERY photograph CHELSEA BLOXSOME

Cheeseburger sausage rolls Preparing these for a gathering or weekend snack? You can do all the assembly ahead of time and keep the uncooked rolls chilled for a day or two before baking.

Shoot director RACHEL BAYLY | Food stylist AMY KINNEAR | Stylist JO HARRIS

SERVES 4 as a main or 8 as a snack PREP 15 mins COOK 30 mins EASY

200g beef mince 200g pork sausages, skinned, or use sausagemeat handful of crispy onions, or use 1 tbsp onion granules 2 tbsp ketchup, plus extra to serve 2 tbsp yellow mustard, plus 1 tsp to glaze and extra to serve 50g gherkins, chopped into small chunks, plus extra to serve 1 egg, beaten 320g sheet of puff pastry 3 slices burger or other mild cheese 2 tbsp sesame seeds burger sauce, to serve (see tip)

1 Heat the oven to 210C/190C fan/ gas 7. Tip the beef and sausagemeat into a bowl, and season with a small pinch of salt and a generous crack of black pepper. Add the onions, ketchup, 2 tbsp mustard and the gherkins, and scrunch everything using your fingers to combine. 2 Beat the egg with 1 tsp mustard. Roll out the pastry and cut in half lengthways. Brush the pastry with

some of the mustard glaze, then cut each cheese slice in half. Lay three cheese slice halves down the middle of each strip of pastry. 3 Form half the meat mixture into a long sausage shape, and sit on top of the cheese on one of the pastry rectangles. Roll up the pastry, pressing the edges together using a fork to seal. Repeat with the other cheese-topped pastry rectangle and the remaining meat mixture. Cut each long roll into two, three or four pieces, depending on how you’re serving them: two for a main meal, three for kids or four for snacking. 4 Put the rolls on a baking tray lined with baking parchment, brush generously with the rest of the glaze and sprinkle over the sesame seeds. Bake for 25 mins. If the rolls have released a lot of liquid and it’s making the bottoms soggy, carefully pour it off and, using tongs, flip the rolls over and bake for 5-10 mins more until the bottoms (now the tops) are golden, too. Leave to cool a little, then serve warm with the burger sauce or extra ketchup, mustard and gherkins. PER SERVING (8) 349 kcals • fat 25g • saturates 11g • carbs 17g • sugars 3g • fibre 2g • protein 13g • salt 1.17g

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tip Burger sauce Stir 1 tbsp Americanstyle mustard with 75g mayo, ¼ tsp smoked paprika and a large pinch each garlic and onion granules. Mix in 1 tbsp white wine vinegar and 1 tsp pickle relish (or finely chopped gherkin).

cook smart

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glo etrott globetrotting

traybakes Taking inspiration from around the world, John Gregory-Smith delivers bold flavours in simple one-pan dishes photographs MARTIN POOLE

Spicy nduja cannelloni This seriously impressive traybake gives off major nonna vibes: stuffed cannelloni that feel homemade, but you’ll be using fresh pasta sheets as a shortcut. The filling is a flavourful blend of sausagemeat, mascarpone and spicy nduja paste, one of my all-time favourite ingredients. Sure, rolling the cannelloni up takes a little time, but pour yourself a glass of vino, crank up the tunes and have fun with it. SERVES 4 PREP 20 mins plus resting COOK 25 mins EASY

200g pork sausages, skins removed 60g nduja 250g mascarpone 300g fresh lasagne sheets, at room temperature (at least 30 mins out of the fridge) 400g can chopped tomatoes 2 tbsp tomato paste 2 tsp garlic granules 1 tsp dried oregano 150g cheese, grated (I like a mix of cheddar and mozzarella)

1 Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/ gas 6. Put the sausagemeat and nduja in a bowl and mash together using a fork. Add the mascarpone and a pinch of salt. Stir to combine. 2 Cut the lasagne sheets in half widthways so you have two smaller rectangles. Lay one half out like a portrait picture, then put a generous tablespoon of the mixture at the bottom end, spread it out and roll the pasta up tight into a cigar shape. I find a tiny bit of the mixture helps seal it shut. Repeat with the rest, putting the rolls fold-side down in a 24 x 32cm roasting tin in neat rows. 3 Mix the canned tomatoes with the tomato paste, 200ml water, the garlic powder, oregano and a pinch of salt. Pour this over the pasta and top with the cheese. Bake for 20-25 mins, or until golden and bubbly. Take it out of the oven and let it rest for 5-10 mins before serving. GOOD TO KNOW calcium • 1 of 5-a-day PER SERVING 837 kcals • fat 61g • saturates 33g • carbs 43g • sugars 11g • fibre 5g • protein 26g • salt 1.72g

John Gregory-Smith is a content creator, TV presenter and best-selling author. He posts daily recipe videos on his social channels (@johngs). Catch John on BBC One’s Morning Live and Saturday Kitchen, Channel 4’s Sunday Brunch and ITV’s This Morning.

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Persian-style saffron chicken rice, p46 44 goodfood.com FEBRUARY 2026

cook smart

Cumin-spiced lamb chops with roasted squash, p46

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cook smart Persian-style saffron chicken rice Perfumed with saffron and cardamom, with crispy chicken and fluffy rice, this is one of the most exquisite traybakes around. I was inspired by a stunning Persian dish, zereshk polo ba morgh, or saffron-roasted chicken with rice and barberries. The OG recipe is all cooked separately: the chicken in one pot, crispy rice (known as a tahdig) in another and barberries candied in sugar syrup in another. Mine has more of a laid-back throw-it-all-in-theoven vibe to get those crispy edges of golden rice and succulent, juicy chicken thighs. I love piling on the garnishes for colour and texture – more is more in my opinion, but feel free to scale it back. SERVES 4 PREP 10 mins COOK 55 mins EASY

Cumin-spiced lamb chops with roasted squash When you’re short on time but want something that feels a little fancy, this Indian-style traybake is a lifesaver. Tiny cubes of butternut squash go golden and crispy in the oven with some hearty chickpeas. Spiced lamb chops and cherry tomatoes are layered on top, and their juices marry together to create a lovely, mellow sauce. To finish, I love a generous dollop of lime pickle yogurt that melts so satisfyingly over everything on your plate. SERVES 4 PREP 15 mins COOK 30 mins EASY

1 squash, cut into 1/2cm-1cm cubes (about 550g in total) 4 tbsp olive oil 400g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed 300g cherry tomatoes, halved 2½ tsp garam masala 4 garlic cloves, crushed ½ tsp ground cumin ¼ tsp ground fenugreek

pinch of saffron 4 garlic cloves, crushed 3 tbsp tomato paste 2 tbsp olive oil 1 orange, juiced 2 tsp ground coriander ½ tsp ground turmeric ¼ tsp ground cinnamon 500ml hot chicken stock, made using 1 stock cube 1kg chicken thighs, skin-on and bone-in 250g basmati rice 3 cardamom pods, bashed open handful of barberries or pomegranate seeds 10g shelled pistachios, roughly chopped handful of coriander leaves 300g Greek yogurt (I use 10% fat)

1 Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/ gas 6. Put the saffron in a heatproof bowl and add 2 tbsp just-boiled water. Stir and set aside to infuse for a few minutes. 2 Add the garlic, tomato paste, olive oil, orange juice, coriander,

8 lamb chops (about 700g in total) 300g Greek yogurt (I use 10% fat) 2 tbsp lime pickle handful of roughly chopped coriander leaves

1 Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/ gas 7. Put the squash in a 30 x 40cm roasting tin and add 1 tbsp of the olive oil and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Toss and roast for 10 mins to start softening the squash. 2 Put the chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, 1 tbsp of the olive oil, 1 tsp garam masala and a good pinch of salt and pepper in a bowl, and toss together. Add to the tray with the squash, mix well and return to the oven for 10 mins. 3 Meanwhile, put the remaining oil into a large bowl. Add the garlic, the remaining garam masala, the cumin, fenugreek and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Mix well, then add the lamb chops and mix. 4 Arrange the chops on top of the squash in the roasting tin and roast in the oven for 8-10 mins, or until the lamb is cooked on the outside but still pink in the middle.

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turmeric, cinnamon and a very generous pinch of salt and pepper to the bowl with the saffron, and mix it all into a paste. 3 Transfer half the saffron paste to the stock, and whisk together. Tip the remaining saffron paste into a large bowl, add the chicken and toss together. 4 Tip the rice into a 30 x 40cm roasting tin and pour over the stock. Add the cardamom and arrange the chicken over the top. Cover the tray and bake for 30 mins. Uncover and return to the oven for 20-25 mins, or until the chicken is golden and cooked through and the rice is crispy on top. 5 Garnish with the barberries or pomegranate seeds, pistachios and coriander leaves, and serve immediately with yogurt. GOOD TO KNOW 1 of 5-a-day PER SERVING 696 kcals • fat 36g • saturates 12g • carbs 53g • sugars 7g • fibre 3g • protein 38g • salt 1.39g

5 While the lamb cooks, mix the yogurt with the lime pickle and a good pinch of salt and pepper. 6 Scatter the coriander over the lamb, chickpeas and veg, and divide between four serving plates. Serve immediately with big dollops of the lime yogurt on the side. GOOD TO KNOW calcium • fibre • vit c • iron • 3 of 5-a-day • gluten free PER SERVING 676 kcals • fat 42g • saturates 20g • carbs 28g • sugars 12g • fibre 7g • protein 43g • salt 0.48g

Recipes adapted from The Greatest Traybake Cookbook Ever by John Gregory-Smith (£25, Michael Joseph) and not retested by us. Photographs by Martin Poole.

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Chocolate orange swiss roll If you’re having a few friends over for a cuppa, there’s enough cake here for seconds. Barney Desmazery

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SERVES 8-10 PREP 45 mins plus cooling and setting COOK 10 mins MORE EFFORT V

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Recipe taken from the February 2025 subscriber edition of Good Food

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100g self-raising flour 25g cocoa powder 4 eggs 100g golden caster sugar, plus extra for sprinkling 1 orange, zested 150g dark chocolate, broken into pieces

For the filling 100ml double cream 2 tbsp icing sugar, sifted 1 orange, zested 4 tbsp orange jam or smooth marmalade, beaten to loosen

1 Heat the oven to 220C/ 200C fan/gas 7 and line a 22 x 32cm swiss roll tin with baking parchment. Sift the flour and cocoa into a bowl . Set aside. Crack the eggs into a second bowl, add the sugar and orange zest, and beat using an electric whisk for 5 mins until pale and very thick. Gently fold in the flour mixture using a spatula until no streaks of flour remain. 2 Gently scrape the mixture into the tin and spread out to the edges. Bake for 7-8 mins until springy. Meanwhile, lay a sheet of baking parchment slightly larger than the tin on a work surface and sprinkle over a layer of sugar. Invert the baked sponge onto the sugarcoated parchment, lift off the tin and peel away the top layer of parchment. Score a border 2cm from one of the shorter edges using a sharp knife, then use the sugar-coated parchment

to help you roll the sponge up into a spiral, with the baking parchment inside. Leave to cool. 3 For the filling, whisk the cream, icing sugar and orange zest together to stiff peaks. Carefully unroll the sponge and spread over the jam or marmalade, followed by the cream filling, leaving the scored border clear. Starting from the scored edge, use the parchment to help you roll the sponge up around the filling, then discard the parchment. 4 Melt the chocolate in short bursts in the microwave. Put the swiss roll on a wire rack over a tray, then pour over the melted chocolate, using a palette knife or spatula to ensure it’s fully covered. Chill until the chocolate is set, then serve in slices. PER SERVING (10) 286 kcals • fat 14g • saturates 8g • carbs 32g • sugars 23g • fibre 3g • protein 6g • salt 0.19g

FEBRUARY 2026 goodfood.com 49

N PROCESSED Urecipes for every day breakfast & brunch

BANGING BREAKFASTS BRUNCHES

Swap store-bought breakfast options for these delicious, UPF-free recipes. Be sure to use vanilla extract, not essence, and check the label on oats, passata, canned tomatoes and soft cheese to avoid any hidden UPFs

Avocado & black bean eggs Homemade granola SERVES 2 PREP 5 mins COOK 5 mins EASY V

2 tsp cold-pressed rapeseed oil 1 red chilli, deseeded and thinly sliced 1 large garlic clove, sliced 2 eggs 400g can black beans ½ x 400g can cherry tomatoes ¼ tsp cumin seeds 1 small avocado, sliced handful of coriander, chopped 1 lime, cut into wedges

1 Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan. Add the chilli and garlic and cook until softened and starting to colour. Break in the eggs on either side of the pan. Once they start to set, spoon the beans (with their juice) and the tomatoes around the pan and sprinkle over the cumin seeds. You’re aiming to warm the beans and tomatoes rather than cook them. 2 Remove the pan from the heat and scatter over the avocado and coriander. Squeeze over half of the lime wedges. Serve with the remaining wedges on the side for squeezing over. GOOD TO KNOW gluten free PER SERVING 356 kcals • fat 20g • saturates 4g • carbs 18g • sugars 5g • fibre 11g • protein 20g • salt 0.8g

MAKES 15 servings PREP 5 mins COOK 30 mins EASY V

2 tbsp cold-pressed rapeseed oil 125ml maple syrup 2 tbsp honey 1 tsp vanilla extract 300g rolled oats 50g sunflower seeds 4 tbsp sesame seeds 50g pumpkin seeds 100g flaked almonds 100g dried berries 50g coconut flakes or desiccated coconut

1 Heat the oven to 150C/130C fan/ gas 2. Mix the oil, maple syrup, honey and vanilla extract in a large bowl. Add the remaining ingredients, except the dried berries and coconut, and mix well. 2 Spread the granola out on two baking sheets. Bake for 15 mins, then mix in the dried berries and coconut and bake for 10-15 mins more. Remove and scrape onto a flat tray to cool. Will keep in an airtight container for up to a month. PER SERVING 259 kcals • fat 15g • saturates 3g • carbs 28g • sugars 13g • fibre 3g • protein 6g • salt 0.02g

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Delicious ideas to get your day off to the best start family dinners

Fab family fillers Family dinners made simple – this section is filled with UPF-free recipes that kids will love and parents can feel good about serving. Be sure to check the labels on ricotta, porridge oats, passata, canned tomatoes, mascarpone, stock and chipotle paste for any additives

Quick & easy fish stew SERVES 2 PREP 10 mins COOK 20-25 mins EASY

Chipotle sweet potato & black bean stew with cheddar dumplings SERVES 4 PREP 10 mins COOK 50 mins EASY V

Cold-pressed rapeseed oil, for frying 1 large red onion, finely sliced 250g bag diced butternut squash and sweet potato 400g can chopped tomatoes 2 x 400g cans chilli black beans or chilli kidney beans 3 tbsp chipotle chilli paste 125g self-raising flour 60g unsalted butter, cubed 70g mature cheddar, grated 1 large green jalapeño, finely sliced (optional)

1 tbsp olive oil 1 tsp fennel seeds 2 carrots, chopped 2 celery sticks, chopped 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 2 leeks, thinly sliced 400g can chopped tomatoes 500ml fresh chicken stock, heated to a simmer 2 skinless pollock fillets (about 200g), thawed if frozen, and cut into chunks 85g raw shelled king prawns

1 Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the fennel seeds, carrots, celery and garlic, and cook for 5 mins, until starting to soften. Tip in the leeks, tomatoes and stock, season and bring to the boil, then cover and simmer for 15-20 mins until the vegetables are tender and the sauce has thickened and reduced slightly. 2 Add the pollock, scatter over the prawns and cook for 2 mins more, until just cooked through. Ladle into bowls to serve. PER SERVING 323 kcals • fat 10g • saturates 2g • carbs 19g • sugars 17g • fibre 11g • protein 35g • salt 0.57g

1 Heat a glug of oil in a large flameproof casserole dish over a medium heat. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and cook for 7 mins, until softened. Tip in the squash and sweet potato and fry for a few minutes, before adding the tomatoes, beans and 250ml water. Stir through the chipotle paste and season. Cover the dish with a lid and gently simmer over a medium-low heat for 25 mins, or until reduced and the sweet potato is soft. 2 Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/ gas 6. Mix the flour with 1/2 tsp salt. Add the butter and rub together with your fingers until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the grated cheddar, then quickly mix in 4 tbsp cold water. Roll the mixture into eight balls. Put the dumplings on top of the stew and place in the oven, uncovered, for 15-20 mins, or until puffed up and just goldenbrown. Serve the stew with the sliced jalapeño scattered on top, if you like. PER SERVING 547 kcals • fat 23g • saturates 12g • carbs 60g • sugars 12g • fibre 15g • protein 18g • salt 1.5g

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Dinners for the family you can feel good about serving cakes & bakes

Pumpkin muffins SERVES 12 PREP 15 mins plus cooling COOK 35 mins EASY V

750g pumpkin or butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and cubed 225g plain flour 2 tsp baking powder 1 tbsp ground cinnamon (or 2 tsp pumpkin spice) 100g caster sugar 50g light brown soft sugar 2 large eggs 125g slightly salted butter, melted

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1 Put the pumpkin or squash in a steamer or colander set over a pan of simmering water and cook for 10 mins. Test with a knife and cook for 5 mins more if not cooked through. Mash and leave to cool. 2 Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/ gas 6. Line a 12-hole muffin tin with muffin cases. Mix the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and both sugars together in a large bowl. Break up any lumps of brown sugar by rubbing them between your fingers. 3 Whisk 200g of the pumpkin purée and the eggs together in a jug, then add to the dry ingredients along with the melted butter. Whisk for 1-2 mins with an electric hand whisk until just combined. 4 Bake for 15 mins, until golden, risen and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave on a wire rack to cool completely. Will keep for up to three days in an airtight container. PER SERVING 219 kcals • fat 10g • saturates 6g • carbs 28g • sugars 13g • fibre 2g • protein 4g • salt 0g

Bake it better with these treats made with only simple, wholesome ingredients. Make sure you buy vanilla extract, not essence, and check the ingredients labels on peanut butter, soft cheese, cocoa powder and desiccated coconut to ensure there are no hidden additives 86 goodfood.com

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UPF-free desserts, bakes and puddings

Available in all supermarkets or order online at magsdirect.co.uk

cook smart

Crêpe pe expectations Elevate your Pancake Day (17 February) with sweet and savoury fillings to pair with our easy crêpe recipe recipes AILSA BURT photographs JAMES LEE

FEBRUARY 2026 goodfood.com 51

The base Crêpes This recipe creates slightly thicker crêpes than your usual Frenchstyle ones – ideal for holding the indulgent fillings on page 54. MAKES 8 PREP 10 mins plus 30 mins resting COOK 30 mins EASY V

125g plain flour 3 eggs, beaten 250ml whole milk 2 tsp sunflower oil, plus extra for frying

1 Tip the flour into a bowl and make a well in the middle. Pour in the beaten egg, then slowly whisk into the flour until a paste forms. Slowly whisk in the milk and, once it has all been incorporated and the mixture is thinner, whisk in the oil. Set aside to rest for 30 mins. 2 Heat a medium frying pan over medium-high heat and, once hot, drizzle in a little oil and carefully wipe it around the pan using kitchen paper. Pour in about

Kimchi & sesame spinach with mature cheddar, p54

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4-5 tbsp batter and quickly swirl it around the pan to coat the base in a thin, even layer. Cook, undisturbed, until the batter is set and releasing from the sides of the pan, about 2-3 mins. Flip and cook on the other side for a few seconds, then set aside on a plate. Repeat with the remaining batter to make around eight pancakes. PER SERVING 114 kcals • fat 4g • saturates 1g • carbs 13g • sugars 2g • fibre 1g • protein 5g • salt 0.11g

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Passion fruit & vanilla mascarpone, p54

Creamy garlic butter mushrooms, p54

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Kimchi & sesame spinach with mature cheddar

Creamy garlic butter mushrooms

Passion fruit & vanilla mascarpone

SERVES 2-4 PREP 10 mins COOK 10 mins EASY V

SERVES 2-4 PREP 15 mins COOK 15 mins EASY V

SERVES 4 PREP 5 mins NO COOK EASY V

1 tbsp sesame oil 1 tbsp sesame seeds 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 300g frozen spinach, defrosted 110g kimchi 75g mature cheddar, grated 8 crêpes (see p52) crispy chilli oil, to serve

30g butter 2 tbsp olive oil 300g white mushrooms, sliced 150g chestnut mushrooms, sliced 3 garlic cloves, crushed 75ml double cream small handful of parsley, finely chopped 8 crêpes (p52)

1 tsp vanilla bean paste 100g mascarpone 100ml double cream 1 ½ tbsp icing sugar, plus extra for dusting 3 passion fruits, halved 8 crêpes (p52)

GOOD TO KNOW calcium • 1 of 5-a-day PER SERVING 225 kcals • fat 2g • saturates 0.5g • carbs 44g • sugars 3g • fibre 3g • protein 7g • salt 0.8g

Chocolate crêpes suzette SERVES 4 PREP 20 mins plus 1 hr cooling COOK 25 mins EASY V

8 crêpes (p52) For the ganache filling 100g dark chocolate (at least 70% cocoa solids), finely chopped 150ml double cream 1 tbsp caster sugar For the sauce 3 tbsp caster sugar 3 oranges, 1 zested, all juiced 1 tbsp chocolate liqueur (optional) 50g salted butter, cut into cubes

1 For the filling, put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Bring the cream and sugar to a simmer in a pan over a medium heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Turn up the

1 Heat the butter and 1 tbsp olive oil in a frying pan over a medium-high heat and, once the butter has melted, fry the mushrooms for 8-10 mins, stirring to coat, until lightly browned and most of their water has evaporated. Push the mushrooms to the side of the pan and add the remaining olive oil to the empty side. Fry the garlic in the oil for 1-2 mins until fragrant, then stir into the mushrooms along with the cream and parsley. Remove from the heat. Season to taste. 2 Fill the crêpes with the mushroom mixture, then fold or roll to enclose. Spoon over any remaining mushrooms to serve.

1 Whisk the vanilla and mascarpone together in a bowl until smooth. Whisk the cream in a separate bowl until it’s just holding its shape, then fold the whipped cream into the vanilla mascarpone. Sieve over the icing sugar. Scoop the pulp from two of the passion fruits into the bowl, then stir through to combine. 2 Spoon the mascarpone mixture into the crêpes and roll or fold to enclose. Scoop the pulp from the remaining passion fruit, then drizzle this over the crêpes. Dust with icing sugar, if you like. PER SERVING 490 kcals • fat 33g • saturates 18g • carbs 35g • sugars 11g • fibre 2g • protein 12g • salt 0.29g

GOOD TO KNOW 1 of 5-a-day PER SERVING (4) 446 kcals • fat 30g • saturates 14g • carbs 28g • sugars 4g • fibre 2g • protein 14g • salt 0.38g

heat and bring to the boil, then immediately remove the pan from the heat. Pour the cream over the chocolate to melt it, then whisk until smooth and glossy. Leave to cool for 1 hr, or until thickened to a spreadable consistency. 2 Spread the ganache evenly over the crêpes and fold into quarters. For the sauce, tip the caster sugar into a large non-stick frying pan set over a low-medium heat and leave the sugar to melt (without stirring at all), then continue to cook until it transforms into a deep amber caramel, about 5-10 mins. 3 Remove the pan from the heat and add the orange juice – do this carefully, as it may spit when it hits the hot caramel. Stir in the orange zest and chocolate liqueur, if using, then return to a low heat once again

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to melt the caramel and create a liquid consistency. 4 Add the butter to the caramel in small pieces, bring to the boil, then simmer gently until the mixture is glossy, thickened and reduced slightly. Carefully add the crêpes to the pan, two at a time, and gently turn in the caramel to coat. Transfer to a serving platter and repeat with the rest of the crêpes. Drizzle over any remaining caramel from the pan and serve immediately. GOOD TO KNOW vit c PER SERVING 745 kcals • fat 49g • saturates 28g • carbs 60g • sugars 33g • fibre 4g • protein 13g • salt 0.49g

Shoot director LAURIE NEWMAN | Stylist ROSIE REYNOLDS | Food stylist HANNAH WILKINSON

1 Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat and fry the sesame seeds and garlic for 2-3 mins until the mixture is fragrant, the sesame seeds have started to pop and the garlic is golden. Watch carefully to ensure the garlic doesn’t burn. Stir in the spinach, turn up the heat to high and cook for 5 mins until all the water has been released from the spinach. Remove from the heat and stir in the kimchi and cheese. Season well with black pepper. 2 Spread a spoonful of the mixture into each crêpe, then fold or roll to enclose the filling. Drizzle over chilli oil before serving, if you like.

cook smart

Serve a dark chocolate twist on the classic French dessert

FEBRUARY 2026 goodfood.com 55

PHOTOGRAPHY: DAVID LOFTUS

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Perfect for pairing Discover some of the best ways to enjoy Parmigiano Reggiano PDO, one of Europe’s most popular cheeses

ou’ve probably used Parmigiano Reggiano PDO plenty of times in your cooking, but did you know it tastes just as delicious on its own? This is largely due to its quality and production techniques, as it’s been made in the same way for almost 1,000 years, making it one of the oldest cheeses in the world. It’s also a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) product, meaning it must be produced in speciﬁc provinces, using traditional methods, to be considered true Parmigiano Reggiano. So, if you spot the PDO logo on the packaging, you can be sure of its authenticity.

Pure flavour The best ﬂavour pairings for Parmigiano Reggiano PDO depend on its maturation time. Wheels aged between 12 and 19 months have a delicate taste that’s perfect with a sparkling aperitif or simple salad. Meanwhile, an ageing period of 45 months or longer brings out more intense, nutty notes that work wonderfully on a cheeseboard with sweet fruits and honey. Alternatively, if you want to sample the balanced richness of 24-month Parmigiano Reggiano PDO, why not try making these crispy veggie fritters from brand ambassador Gennaro Contaldo?

Courgette, mint & Parmigiano Reggiano PDO fritters MAKES 12 PREP 10 mins plus salting COOK 15 mins EASY 2 large courgettes, coarsely grated 1 small garlic clove, finely chopped 50g 24-month Parmigiano Reggiano PDO, finely grated, plus extra shavings to serve 1 lemon, zested small handful of mint leaves, finely chopped 50g plain flour 4 egg whites vegetable oil

1 Put the courgettes in a bowl with a pinch of salt. Place a plate over the bowl, then weigh it down and leave for 5-10 mins. 2 Drain the courgettes, squeezing with your hands to remove any excess liquid, then tip back into the bowl. Mix in the garlic, Parmigiano Reggiano PDO, lemon zest, mint, ﬂour and a pinch of salt and pepper. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff, then fold into the courgette mixture until well combined. 3 Heat a drizzle of vegetable oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add tablespoons of the courgette mixture and fry on each side for 2-3 mins until golden brown (you may need to do this in batches). Lower the heat to avoid burning, if needed. 4 When the fritters are cooked, transfer to some kitchen paper to drain. Scatter a generous amount of Parmigiano Reggiano PDO shavings over the top, then serve warm.

For more information and Parmigiano Reggiano PDO recipe inspiration, visit tasteurope.eu

FUNDED BY THE EUROPEAN UNION. VIEWS AND OPINIONS EXPRESSED ARE HOWEVER THOSE OF THE AUTHOR(S) ONLY AND DO NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THOSE OF THE EUROPEAN UNION OR OF THE GRANTING AUTHORITY. NEITHER THE EUROPEAN UNION NOR THE GRANTING AUTHORITY CAN BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THEM.

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Food for Foo or

the soul

Golden calzones, crispy chicken and breakfast tostadas – swap eating out for homemade comforts fresh from the air fryer recipes AILSA BURT photographs LIAM DESBOIS

Hot honey crispy chicken burgers with blue cheese slaw, p58

FEBRUARY 2026 goodfood.com 57

SERVES 4-6 PREP 20 mins COOK 15 mins EASY

50g plain flour 2 eggs, beaten 100g panko breadcrumbs 1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for air-frying 1 tsp garlic granules 1 tsp onion granules 600g mini chicken breast fillets 2 tbsp hot honey For the slaw 100g hard blue cheese (such as stilton), crumbled 2 tbsp white wine vinegar

40g mayonnaise 150g soured cream small handful of chives, finely chopped ¼ small white cabbage, finely sliced 2 celery sticks, finely sliced ½ red onion, finely sliced 1 small Granny Smith apple, finely chopped into matchsticks To serve 4-6 burger buns, toasted

1 First, make the slaw. Combine the blue cheese, vinegar, mayonnaise, soured cream and chives in a large bowl, and season to taste. Add the cabbage, celery, onion and apple, and toss well to coat. Set aside while you prepare the chicken. 2 Put the flour and eggs in two seprate bowls. Put the panko in a third bowl and drizzle over the oil. Toss well, rubbing the oil into the breadcrumbs slightly, then mix in the garlic and onion granules along with a big pinch of sea salt flakes.

Salami & chilli calzones MAKES 6 PREP 20 mins COOK 20 mins EASY

plain flour, for dusting 400-450g fresh or frozen pizza dough (defrosted, if frozen) 6 tbsp pizza sauce small handful of basil leaves, roughly torn 1 red chilli (deseeded if you prefer less heat), finely chopped 250g mozzarella ball, cubed 60g thinly sliced salami, torn 1 tbsp olive oil 2 tbsp parmesan, finely grated 1 tsp dried oregano

1 Lightly flour a clean work surface. Divide the dough into six equal pieces, then stretch each piece into a roughly 15cm circle. Spread 1 tbsp pizza sauce over each dough circle, leaving a 1cm border. Scatter over the basil leaves, chilli, mozzarella and the salami.

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3 Pat the chicken dry using kitchen paper, then dredge in the flour, shaking off any excess. Dunk in the egg mixture, coating well before dipping in the panko and pressing well to adhere. (It’s best to use one hand for wet ingredients and one for dry.) Brush the basket of the air fryer with oil, then arrange the chicken in a single, even layer. You may need to cook in batches. 4 Cook for 12-15 mins at 180C, flipping once halfway, until golden and cooked through. Keep warm in a low oven while you cook the remaining chicken, if working in batches. When ready to serve, put the crispy chicken on the base of each bun and drizzle over the hot honey. Add a spoonful of the slaw and the bun tops. Serve with any remaining slaw on the side. GOOD TO KNOW 1 of 5-a-day PER SERVING (6) 449 kcals • fat 22g • saturates 9g • carbs 28g • sugars 10g • fibre 2g • protein 33g • salt 0.9g

2 Dampen the exposed borders of the dough with a little water and fold over to create a half-circle. Press the edges together to seal, avoiding trapping any air inside, and fold the edges up slightly. Lightly brush the base of your air fryer basket with a little oil and arrange the calzones in an even layer (you may need to do this in batches). Brush the remaining olive oil over the top and sprinkle over the parmesan and oregano. Cook at 200C for 8-12 mins until golden brown, then flip and cook for 5 mins more. Let stand for 5-10 mins before cutting in half to serve. PER SERVING 353 kcals • fat 17g • saturates 9g • carbs 31g • sugars 1g • fibre 3g • protein 17g • salt 2.1g

tip You can serve this with any leftover pizza sauce on the side for dipping.

Shoot director LAURIE NEWMAN | Stylist FAYE WEARS | Food stylist TROY WILLIS

Hot honey crispy chicken burgers with blue cheese slaw

cook smart

FEBRUARY 2026 goodfood.com 59

Crispy sausage, onion & egg breakfast tostadas SERVES 2 PREP 15 mins COOK 15 mins EASY

4 Cumberland sausages, skinned 2 garlic cloves, crushed 4 sage leaves, finely chopped 1 tsp light brown soft sugar 3 tbsp crispy onions ½ small red onion, finely sliced 1 tsp olive oil ¼ tsp chilli flakes (optional) 4 small flour tortillas 4 eggs To serve hot sauce, chunky guacamole and coriander leaves

1 Squeeze the sausagemeat into a bowl and combine with the garlic, sage, sugar, crispy onions, red onions, olive oil, chilli flakes (if using) and a pinch of seasoning. Spread the mixture over the tortillas, creating a small indented circle in the middle of each. Arrange in the air fryer in an even layer (you may need to cook in batches) and cook at 180C for 6-7 mins until the sausagemeat is crispy and golden. 2 Crack an egg into the indent in the middle of each tostada and return to the air fryer for 4-6 mins until the white is set but the yolk is still runny. Serve topped with hot sauce, chunky guacamole and a scattering of coriander leaves. PER SERVING 725 kcals • fat 43g • saturates 15g • carbs 46g • sugars 7g • fibre 5g • protein 37g • salt 2.8g

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family

celebrate Lunar New Year No need to spend on takeaway – Ching-He Huang shares a feast of Chinese classics to mark the occasion on 17 February

Chicken balls in sweet & sour sauces, p62

Ching-He Huang is an award-winning TV chef and food writer who has published multiple cookbooks on Chinese cookery. @ChingHeHuang

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This family-favourite takeaway is easy to recreate at home – pre-cook and freeze the meatballs if you like. SERVES 4 PREP 20 mins plus chilling COOK 15 mins EASY

500g boneless, skinless chicken thighs 4 garlic cloves, finely grated 2 tbsp grated ginger 2 spring onions, finely chopped pinch of ground white pepper 50ml Shaohsing rice wine or dry sherry 1 tbsp dark soy sauce 2 tbsp light soy sauce 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil 1 egg, beaten 3 tbsp cornflour 100ml rapeseed oil For the sweet & sour sauce 100ml cold vegetable stock 50ml pineapple juice from a can (reserving some pineapple pieces) 1-2 tbsp light soy sauce 1 tbsp ketchup 2 tbsp clear rice vinegar

Chinese hotpot SERVES 6-8 PREP 30 mins COOK 40 mins EASY

300g tiger prawns, peeled and deveined, heads and tails left on 250g beef sirloin, excess fat removed, thinly sliced 300g smoked tofu, drained and cut into 2.5cm cubes 300g pork fillet, thinly sliced 4 skinless, boneless chicken thighs, sliced into strips 300g seafood (we used scallops, fish balls and squid rings) 400g vegetables (we used pak choi, Chinese cabbage, long-stem broccoli and red pepper), chopped 300g mushrooms (oyster, chestnut, button, shiitake and wood ear), halved or torn into large pieces 200g bean curd skin 400g noodles (we used mung bean, vermicelli rice and egg noodles) For the soup base 2 tbsp rapeseed oil 3-4 dried long ‘chao tian jiao’ chillies 30g Sichuan peppercorns 1 tbsp chilli bean sauce

2 tbsp golden syrup 1 tbsp cornflour 1 garlic clove, finely chopped 2.5cm piece of ginger, finely grated 1 red onion, sliced into half-moons 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped steamed rice and chilli sauce (optional), to serve

1 Tip the chicken thighs into a food processor and blitz to a fine paste. Tip into a large bowl along with the garlic, ginger, spring onions, white pepper, rice wine, soy sauces, sesame oil, egg, cornflour and 1/2 tsp salt. Stir well to combine. Using wet hands, roll a medium golf ball-sized mound into a ball. Set aside on a plate and repeat until all the mixture is used. Chill for at least 30 mins, and reshape if needed before cooking. 2 Heat the rapeseed oil in a large wok or saucepan over a mediumhigh heat. Slowly add the chicken meatballs and cook until golden, turning over halfway through, about 8-10 mins. Lift the chicken balls out and set aside.

1.7 litres chicken or vegetable stock 6 dried Chinese mushrooms 1 star anise small handful of dried tangerine peel (optional) 50ml chilli oil 5cm piece of ginger, sliced ½ Chinese cabbage, leaves separated and sliced into 2.5cm-thick pieces 3 spring onions, sliced at an angle For the Taiwanese-style dipping sauce 2 tbsp light soy sauce 1 tbsp satay sauce 1 tbsp black rice vinegar 1 tsp toasted sesame oil 1 tsp crushed garlic 1 tsp grated ginger 1 tbsp finely chopped coriander 2 spring onions, finely sliced 1 egg yolk (optional; freeze the white to use in another recipe) 1 tsp toasted white sesame seeds For the dipping sauce 1 tsp crushed garlic 2 spring onions, finely chopped 2 tbsp light soy sauce 2 tbsp black rice vinegar 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil

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3 Meanwhile, make the sweet and sour sauce. Pour the stock, pineapple juice, soy sauce, ketchup, vinegar, golden syrup and cornflour into a jug, mix well and set aside. 4 Pour all the oil from the pan into a heatproof bowl. Return the pan to a high heat until smoking, then drizzle in 1 tbsp of the drained oil. Swirl the pan to coat in the oil, then stir-fry the garlic, ginger, onion and chilli for 1 min until the onion starts to caramelise. Add some pineapple chunks from the can, then pour in the sweet and sour sauce mixture and bring to a bubble. Cook until the sauce has deepened in colour, reducing for 15 seconds. Return the chicken balls to the pan, gently coat in the sauce and reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 5 mins before serving (take care not to leave the chicken in the sauce for too long, or the meat may break apart). Serve immediately with steamed rice and chilli sauce, if you like. PER SERVING 473 kcals • fat 21g • saturates 3g • carbs 38g • sugars 22g • fibre 2g • protein 30g • salt 3.23g

1 To make the soup base, heat a large 2-litre wok or deep, wide saucepan over a high heat and toss the oil, chillies and Sichuan peppercorns for 5 seconds until fragrant. Add the chilli bean sauce, stock, dried mushrooms, star anise and dried tangerine peel (if using). Add the chilli oil and ginger, and bring to the boil. Add the cabbage, boil for 2 mins, then stir in the spring onions. 2 Mix together the ingredients for both sauces in separate bowls. 3 Set up an electric induction hob in the centre of your dining table, put the wok with the broth on to simmer and surround it with plates of the raw ingredients. Let each person add their ingredients to cook in the broth, and use a wired metal spoon to fish them out. Cook seafood, chicken and pork until completely opaque, and veg to taste. Serve with the dipping sauces. GOOD TO KNOW folate • fibre • vit c • iron • 1 of 5-a-day PER SERVING (8) 739 kcals • fat 30g • saturates 6g • carbs 47g • sugars 7g • fibre 11g • protein 64g • salt 4.23g

Shoot director FREDDIE STEWART | Food stylist LIBBY SILBERMANN | Stylist AGATHÉ GITS

Chicken balls in sweet & sour sauce

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Wonton soup SERVES 4 PREP 20 mins COOK 10 mins EASY

200g frozen wonton wrappers, defrosted plain flour, for dusting finely sliced spring onions and chilli oil, to serve For the wonton filling 2 garlic cloves, grated 1 tbsp grated ginger 300g pork mince 150g raw prawns, shelled, deveined and chopped into 1/2cm dice 1 spring onion, finely chopped 1 tbsp Shaohsing rice wine 1 tbsp light soy sauce 1 tsp toasted sesame oil pinch of ground white pepper 1 tsp cornflour For the soup broth 2 tsp vegetable bouillon powder 2 tbsp grated ginger 2 tbsp light soy sauce 2 tsp toasted sesame oil 400g baby pak choi 400g cooked egg noodles (optional)

Tanghulu This Chinese dessert sees fruit dipped in a sugar coating that creates a crunchy shell as it sets. MAKES 6 skewers PREP 10 mins COOK 30 mins EASY V

300g strawberries, hulled 150g grapes, removed from vines flavourless oil, for the tray 350g white granulated sugar You’ll also need 18cm or shorter bamboo skewers

1 Wash the fruit and pat dry thoroughly. Thread onto the skewers, alternating between the strawberries and grapes. Repeat with the remaining fruit. Set aside. 2 Pour cold water and ice into a heatproof bowl, then lightly oil a tray and set aside. Tip the sugar into a large saucepan with 700ml water.

Slowly bring to the boil over a medium-low heat, about 5-6 mins, swirling the pan to ensure the sugar melts evenly. Do not stir. Once melted, bubble for 20-25 mins until the syrup has thickened and reduced. To test if it’s ready, dip a bare skewer into the syrup and plunge into the iced water – if it hardens and cracks, it’s ready. 3 Dip the prepared fruit skewers into the syrup using tongs, then immediately into the ice water until the outer shell hardens. Transfer to the tray. Be sure to replenish the ice once melted. Repeat with the remaining skewers. If the sugar syrup starts to harden in the pan, gently reheat it again – the trick is to work quickly. GOOD TO KNOW vegan • low fat • vit c • gluten free PER SERVING 191 kcals • fat 0.3g • saturates none • carbs 45g • sugars 45g • fibre 2g • protein 0.5g • salt 0.01g

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1 To make the wonton filling, combine the garlic, ginger, pork mince, prawns, spring onions and some seasoning in a bowl, then add the rice wine, soy sauce, sesame oil, white pepper and cornflour. Mix well, then take around 15g of the filling and put it in the centre of one wonton wrapper. Bring the sides to the centre, pinching and twisting to secure. Repeat with the rest of the dumplings. Set half aside on a lightly floured tray, then freeze the remaining wontons. 2 Pour 1.4 litres water into a pan, then add the bouillon powder and bring to the boil. Add the ginger, soy sauce and sesame oil. Gently drop in the wontons and baby pak choi, and reduce the heat to simmer until the wontons float to the surface, about 4-5 mins. Add the egg noodles, if using, for the final minute to warm through. Serve sprinkled with spring onions and drizzled with chilli oil, if you like. GOOD TO KNOW low fat • low cal • folate • vit c • 1 of 5-a-day PER SERVING 248 kcals • fat 8g • saturates 2g • carbs 23g • sugars 3g • fibre 3g • protein 20g • salt 2.78g

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spotlight

Can beans

save the world ?

As well as being good for you, they nourish the soil, plus they’re excellent value — in this 10-page special, we shine a light on beans and all the ways they can make a positive impact words LULU GRIMES & KERRY TORRENS

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hy eat beans, peas and lentils? Quite simply, they are good for you and good for the planet. They are also delicious, add texture to dishes, come in many varieties, and are full of fibre. Beans can be boiled, fried, roasted, mashed, milled in flour, fermented and puréed; they can be used in savoury and sweet dishes and incorporated into drinks. In other parts of the world, beans are treasured, just as they have been historically in the UK, but here they seem to have fallen out of favour with many of us (baked beans and hummus aside). In a recent survey commissioned by the Food Foundation, 66% of people reported eating less than one portion of beans or pulses a week. For the sake of our health and the planet, we should be eating about seven times that amount. (For the purposes of this article, we’ll refer to most peas and pulses as beans.)

Bang in some beans!

Think about the texture or flavour you want to add. • Creamy: cannellini, butter beans, borlotti • Nutty: chickpeas, carlin peas, fava • Meaty: black beans, pinto, kidney • Firm: chickpeas, black-eyed beans/peas • Starchy/floury: haricot, many white beans

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66% of people eat less than one portion a week — we should eat seven times that

Beans and pulses fix nitrogen in the soil as they grow, improving soil health and reducing fertiliser use. They also help increase microbial diversity in the soil.

Upping your intake doesn’t mean you have to eat beans to the exclusion of everything else. Recently, one of our cookery team, Helena, made three dishes for lunch in the test kitchen, each made using a different legume. She made a bolognese with half of the meat swapped for lentils, a tikka masala curry using chickpeas, and a butter bean carbonara with no pasta in sight (p73), all shining examples of how we perhaps should be thinking about using pulses and beans. That’s as the filling, fibrous part of the dish, not just as a meat substitute or side. We’re not just talking about main meals; don’t forget that a

portion of hummus is bean-based, as is a snack of crispy chickpeas, or a lunchtime sandwich filled with coronation chickpeas (p74).

How should we think of beans? As a meat alternative? In addition to meat? As a carb replacement? As the fudgy base of desserts and cakes? The answer is, of course, all of the above. Beans differ dramatically in flavour and •

LUIGI GIORDANO, OZGURDONMAZ, VKUSLANDIA & BRANEX ISTOCK/ GETTY IMAGES PLUS

How to pick the right bean for your dish

Planet-friendlier Illustrations LAURIE NEWMAN. Photographs JANINE LAMONTAGNE - STOCK PHOTOS LEGUME FAMILY,

The Food Foundation and Veg Power launched a three-year campaign in November 2025 that asks you to ‘bang in some beans’, hoping, with the help of retailers, food service, schools, cooks and writers that we can double our beans consumption by 2028. The idea is to add beans to what we already eat, rather start a whole new diet.

spotlight

Glossary of beans These are the beans (and peas that cook like beans) you are most likely to find in the supermarket

Carlin peas A British heritage variety. Nutty and firm, they’re excellent in chillies and soups

Split peas

Haricot These are used in baked beans. Small, creamy and mild in flavour

Dried, hulled peas — these can be yellow or green. Used for soups (not the same as whole peas)

Gungo peas

Fava Dried broad beans. We grow a lot of fava in the UK but sadly we sell most of them abroad

Red kidney

Borlotti

Most used in chilli con carne. Good-quality red kidney beans are a revelation – creamy and firm in texture

Also called cranberry beans, they’re creamy white when raw and dark cream once cooked. Nutty and a little earthy

Black-eyed beans/peas These work well in curries and spiced dishes and are used extensively in Caribbean cuisine

Soy bean Called edamame when fresh and pale green, these dry to a cream colour. They are the base of tofu and tempeh

Cannellini

Also pigeon peas, or toor dal. These are used for rice and peas and many other Caribbean dishes

Chickpeas Nutty in flavour, robust in texture and the base of hummus and falafel. In the US they are called garbanzos. Larger varieties are labelled as ‘queen’ chickpeas

Slightly bigger than haricot, these are popular in Italy. They’re creamy and hold their shape

Butter Also known as lima beans, they make an excellent carrier for flavour (see p73 and p75). Large and velvety with a mild flavour, and they mash well

Black There are many types of black bean including turtle beans. Often they have a sweetish edge and make a stock that adds colour to dishes FEBRUARY 2026 goodfood.com 69

Lentil decoder

Red

Green/brown

Quick cooking with no need for soaking, these have an earthy, almost meaty flavour. Use them where you want a thick purée-like texture.

hold their shape better than red when cooked and have an earthy flavour. Be careful not to overcook, otherwise they will turn mushy.

Small green/ speckled green Firm with a peppery taste, they work well cold in salads. They are sometimes known as French green lentils.

Puy

Beluga

Yellow/white

These small mottled greyishgreen lentils can only be called Puy if they are grown in the Le Puy region of France as they are AOCprotected.

Called beluga because of their resemblance to the caviar, these hold their shape well and have a nutty flavour and firm texutre. They look good in salads.

Depending on the recipe, these could be referring to toor dal (or pigeon peas), mung dal (split mung beans), channa dal (split Bengal gram) or urad dal. Pre-soak.

Where to buy beans in the UK

texture – butter beans become silky in soups; cannellini are creamy and mild; carlin peas are nutty and robust; urad beans turn velvety in black dhal; black beans give savoury depth to stews. Let flavour, as well as nutrition, guide your choices.

Adding beans to your weekly shop saves on your food bill

Bean cuisine Across the UK, diaspora communities have long placed beans at the centre of everyday cooking. South Asian households use dals (masoor, toor, chana, urad, moong) for everyday meals; Caribbean kitchens eat red kidney beans and gungo peas in

rice and peas and stews; Middle Eastern and North African families cook ful medames (p76), chickpea stews and broad bean dishes; and Latin American cooks incorporate black beans, pinto beans and mayocoba beans in soups, tacos, feijoada and more.

METHOD (dried)

TIME (soaked)

TIME (unsoaked)

PROS

CONS

Hob

45-90 mins

1.5-3 hrs

Easy

Needs watching

Pressure cooker

20-35 mins (plus coming to pressure)

30–50 min (plus coming to pressure)

Fast, even

Needs care, tricky for small quantities. Low energy cost

Slow cooker

4-6 hrs

Unsafe for red and black beans unless boiled first

Hands-off, low energy cost

Texture is sometimes softer

Oven/ bean pot

2-3 hrs

3-4 hrs

Beautiful flavour

Energy use is high

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Like many ingredients, the legumes you find in supermarkets are somewhat unadventurous. You can get good-quality white beans, kidney beans, chickpeas, and black beans, as well as red, green, and French green lentils, and that’s a good start. But it’s entry-level stuff. Most larger supermarkets will have a range of dried, canned, cartoned or jarred beans. Depending on the demographic of local shoppers, the range may include those used in African, Caribbean and Asian cuisines. Holland & Barrett stock dried and canned pulses including British-grown varieties and independent food shops often stock smaller brands, as well as French varieties of lentil. For a richer selection, go to diaspora shops, where there is a higher turnover, so dried beans are fresher and cook predictably. South Asian grocers offer shelves of dals in every colour, plus moth beans, brown chana and whole urad; Caribbean shops sell red kidney beans, gungo peas and sometimes West African honey beans; Middle Eastern stores stock excellent chickpeas, giant butterbeans and jars of ful medames; and Latin American

spotlight

shops sell black, pinto and Peruvian heirloom varieties. These shops are usually excellent value, especially for bulk-buying.

Online suppliers If you’re not yet convinced about eating them several times a week, then a more esoteric bean may just convert you, so look online. Different types of legumes taste different, and behave differently when cooked, giving a range of textures. Hodmedods (hodemedods. co.uk) sell British-grown legumes such as carlin peas and fava beans and also offer varieties from the Americas via the Heirloom Bean Co, who source them from American bean legends Rancho Gordo. From vibrant purple ayocote morado and pinky-black scarlett runners to orange buckeyes and white and dark orange yellow-eyes (ideal for a homemade baked bean recipe), you can bring colour to dishes. Ocado stock many independent brands such as Bold Beans and Brindisa as well as Perello, Belazu, Realfoods Epicure, KTC, Mr Organic and Reflets de France. Bold Bean Co (premium jarred beans at boldbeanco.com) has probably done more than any other to elevate beans in the last couple of years. Glass jars, snappy packaging and really good quality beans and chickpeas have set them apart from the crowd. And then there’s the bean liquid, now rebranded as bean stock. Gone are the days of recommending that beans are rinsed before use – tip the jar in, liquid and all, and your dish will be the better for it. The company often do collaborations with brands, packaging black chickpeas for Ottolenghi and carlin peas for Hodmedods. Deals are available if you order these as a subscription service. Brindisa (brindisa.com) is the home of Spanish products including a wide range of jarred, canned and dried beans. They sell some beans and lentils in 325g jars which are very useful for meals for one. •

Top beans and their benefits • Borlotti: High in iron, zinc and folate. Nutrition (per 100g cooked): 7.3g protein, 7g fibre • Butter beans: soluble fibre supports the heart and helps cholesterol levels. Nutrition (per 100g cooked): 5.9g protein, 6.1g fibre • Cannellini: Contains iron and folate, and studies suggest they help balance blood sugar and aid weight control. Nutrition (per 100g cooked): 8g protein, 8.3g fibre • Carlin: Protein content is similar to lentils, and works well as a chickpea alternative. Nutrition (per 100g cooked): 9.5g protein, 6.7g fibre • Chickpeas: Reports show those who regularly eat chickpeas enjoy a higher diet quality. Source of folate, vitamin E and potassium. Nutrition (per 100g cooked): 8.4g protein, 5.7g fibre • Fava: Source of iron, zinc and folate. Try fava bean flour in pancakes and

pizza. Nutrition (per 100g cooked): 7.6g protein, 5.4g fibre • Haricot: Can improve the diversity of gut bacteria, digestion and immunity. Nutrition (per 100g cooked): 6.6g protein, 8.1g fibre • Kidney: The skins get their colour from protective antioxidants that may help regulate blood pressure. Nutrition (per 100g cooked): 8.4g protein, 8.9g fibre • Pinto: Rich in folate. Eaten regularly, may aid cholesterol control. Nutrition (per 100g cooked) 7.6g protein, 7g fibre • Soya: the best ratio of amino acids, high in protein and fibre, low in fat and a good source of iron and calcium. Reputed to be heart-healthy, a source of omega-3 fatty acids and can help regulate cholesterol levels. Nutrition (per 100g cooked) 14g protein, 8.1g fibre • See page 72 for more health benefits from our nutritionist Kerry Torrens.

How to store beans (and why it matters) Beans get tougher with age. Dried beans technically keep for years, but how easily they cook changes as they age. Freshly dried beans (less than a year old) cook evenly and relatively quickly. Older beans may take far longer to soften, even with soaking, and some very old ones simply never become tender. Very old beans are likely to have shrivelled or wrinkled skins; they may have a dusty appearance from oxidisation and will likely be as hard as stones. Store dried beans in airtight jars or containers to keep humidity at bay. Keep the sell-by dates with them if you take them out of their packaging. They should be kept cool, in a dark and dry place, and ideally, away from your hob. Canned beans, when decanted into a container, keep chilled for use within three or four days. For jarred beans, keep the beans submerged in their cooking liquid, reseal, chill and use within four to five days.

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Which beans to choose for nutrition? Here, our registered nutritionist Kerry Torrens explains all the ways in which beans can benefit your health: Adding more beans and pulses to your weekly shop not only saves on your food bill (to replace more expensive protein), it also results in a higher nutrient intake and a more planet-friendly and sustainable diet. With this in mind, and if you’re looking to expand your bean horizons, which should you choose? The truth is that picking just one type of bean to add to your diet is a tough call because it depends on your priorities – if it’s a good source of protein you’re looking for, soya beans offer the best ratio of amino acids for health. For fibre, think cannellini or kidney beans; for immune support, chickpeas for their useful vitamin E contribution; and for heart health, choose pinto and butter beans. A dietary staple in many cultures, three tablespoons or 80 grams (cooked weight) of beans counts as one of your five-a-day – but that’s all, regardless of how much you eat. This is because although beans have a lot going for them, they contain a lower density of vitamins and minerals when compared to other fruit and vegetables. That said, they’re one of the best sources of fibre, a valuable source of plant-based protein, are low in fat and have a blood-balancing, low glycaemic index (GI). No surprise then, that beans are associated with numerous benefits, including helping us stick to a healthy weight, supporting gut health and reducing our risk of several chronic diseases, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes and certain cancers. Often mistakenly called an ‘incomplete protein’, beans contain all the essential amino acids we need for growth and repair, too; only some at lower levels, but that’s not a problem when included as part of a varied, balanced diet.

Handy cooking tips This guide is for cooking whole beans and peas — generally, split peas and lentils are much quicker to cook. • You will need about 100-120g dried beans to make the equivalent of a 400g can of cooked beans. • Quick-soak by bringing up to the boil, boil for three minutes, then leave for an hour with the lid on. To speed up your bean cooking time, use the same liquid to cook the beans and you’ll have a better flavoured liquid. • Overnight soaking isn’t necessary. Experimentation by US cooking site Epicurious showed that it doesn’t cut the cooking time by enough to worry about. Food science writer Harold McGee says four hours is enough to complete a soak. This amount of time does help stop beans making as much foam as they cook, and can help with making them more digestible as they’re activated to start germination.

In terms of protein, fibre and fat, there’s little nutritional difference between dried beans and canned varieties. Although the latter, as with pouches, may have added salt and preservatives, and may lose some water-soluble vitamins like folate. Whichever you choose, remember that when increasing the beans in your diet, do so gradually. Including them too quickly may overwhelm your digestive system.

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• Add bicarb to the soaking water if you like to soften the beans. If you use it, you’ll have to rinse them and throw out the water rather than use it as a stock. • Red and black bean varieties like kidney beans must be boiled for 10 minutes to bring lectin levels down. Lectin can inhibit nutrient absorption. • The minimum cooking time on a hob for beans that have had a quick soak is 10 mins boiling, plus 35 mins -11/2 hours depending on the size of the beans. • Don’t add too much water to soaked beans; it should be 4cm above them in a pressure cooker and 2cm in a casserole. If the lid isn’t tight on the casserole, you can add more liquid while cooking. • Adding salt is fine; it can help with the cooking. • Don’t add very acidic ingredients until your beans are soft; it inhibits the cooking of beans, and they will take longer to soften, if at all. This includes tomatoes.

Beans can help us stick to a healthy weight, support our gut health and reduce our risk of several chronic diseases

spotlight

Beans for breakfast Smoky beans on toast Make the beans ahead and you can have breakfast ready in minutes. SERVES 1 generously PREP 5 mins COOK 20-30 mins EASY V

½ tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling ½ small onion, sliced ½ small red pepper, thinly sliced into strips 1 garlic clove, halved 227g chopped tomatoes ½ tsp smoked paprika 2 tsp red wine vinegar 200g can or jar butter beans or chickpeas (or ½ large can or third of a large jar), or home-cooked ¼ tsp sugar 1 slice seeded bread a few parsley sprigs, chopped (optional)

1 Heat the oil in a small pan, add the onion and pepper, and fry gently until soft, about 10-15 mins. Crush half the garlic and add this to the pan, along with the tomatoes, paprika, vinegar, beans, sugar and some seasoning. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10-15 mins or until slightly reduced and thickened. 2 Toast the bread, rub with the remaining garlic and drizzle with a little olive oil. Spoon the beans over the toast, drizzle with a little more oil and scatter over the parsley. GOOD TO KNOW vegan • healthy • low cal • fibre • vit c • 4 of 5-a-day PER SERVING 460 kcals • fat 19g • saturates 3g • carbs 49g • sugars 17g • fibre 14g • protein 15g • salt 1.1g

Beans for lunch Carbonara butter beans The key to this recipe is a steady temperature. If your eggs get too hot, they will scramble, so don’t be afraid to keep things moving in the pan and remove from the heat to prevent this from happening. SERVES 2-3 PREP 5 mins COOK 10 mins EASY 100g guanciale, sliced into lardons if needed 2 eggs, beaten 50-60g parmesan, finely grated, plus extra for serving 1 x 700g jar of butter beans, drained (reserve a few tbsp of the bean liquid)

1 Put the guanciale in a cold frying pan, then turn the heat to medium. Allow to cook for 4-5 mins, stirring occasionally, until the fat has rendered and the guanciale is crisp and golden. Remove from the pan using a slotted spoon and set aside on kitchen paper to drain. Keep the fat in the pan and remove the pan from the heat. 2 In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, parmesan and plenty of black pepper. Pour in half of the guanciale fat while whisking – it is important to do this slowly and keep it moving so the eggs don’t scramble. 3 Put the pan back on a low heat, then pour the beans into the remaining guanciale fat. Turn up the heat to medium and cook for 3-4 mins until steaming, then remove from the heat and pour in the egg and parmesan mixture gradually, mixing all the while. Mix in the few tablespoons of the bean liquid from the jar to loosen the sauce to a silky consistency. 4 Serve with more parmesan and a grinding of black pepper. GOOD TO KNOW fibre • 1 of 5-a-day • gluten free PER SERVING (3) 430 kcals • fat 28g • saturates 11g • carbs 18g • sugars 2g • fibre 9g • protein 23g • salt 1.71g

FEBRUARY 2026 goodfood.com 73

Beans for lunch continued ... Coronation chickpea sandwich filler SERVES 4 PREP 8 mins NO COOK EASY V 400g can chickpeas or half a large jar, or home-cooked 3 ½ tbsp mayonnaise (or vegan alternative) 1 ½ tbsp mango chutney 2 tsp mild curry powder ½ lemon, juiced (use the zest as well if you like lemon, grate it finely) 50g raisins ½ small red onion, very finely chopped 4 rolls or 8 slices of bread Little Gem lettuce, to serve

Lentil & tuna salad SERVES 4 PREP 15 mins NO COOK EASY

2 tbsp sherry vinegar 1 tsp Dijon mustard 2 garlic cloves, finely grated 50ml olive oil 500g ready-cooked Puy or small green lentils 300g canned tuna, drained and flaked (in water or oil, depending on your preference) 160g cherry tomatoes, halved 2 ready-roasted peppers, chopped handful of parsley, finely chopped ½ small bunch of chives, finely chopped

1 Whisk the vinegar, mustard and garlic in a small bowl. Slowly drizzle in the oil, whisking as you go, until emulsified, then season. 2 Add the lentils, tuna, tomatoes, peppers and most of the herbs to a large bowl and toss together. Pour over the dressing and toss again. Divide between bowls and sprinkle over the remaining herbs. GOOD TO KNOW healthy • low cal • fibre • 2 of 5-a-day • gluten free PER SERVING 374 kcals • fat 15g • saturates 2g • carbs 26g • sugars 3g • fibre 9g • protein 28g • salt 0.7g

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1 Drain the chickpeas thoroughly and make sure they are as dry as possible. Combine the mayo, chutney, curry powder and lemon juice in a bowl. Season well. 2 Tip in the raisins, onion and chickpeas and mix to combine. Spoon the filler into rolls or sandwich between bread slices with a few lettuce leaves. Will keep chilled for three days. GOOD TO KNOW vegan • 1 of 5-a-day • gluten free PER SERVING 220 kcals • fat 11g • saturates 1g • carbs 22g • sugars 12g • fibre 5g • protein 5g • salt 0.4g

spotlight

Beans for dinner One-pot prawn & lentil curry SERVES 4 PREP 30 mins COOK 1 hr 15 mins EASY

3 tbsp sunflower oil 1 large onion, finely chopped 6 garlic cloves, chopped or grated thumb-sized piece of ginger, chopped or grated ¼ tsp turmeric ¼ tsp chilli powder (we used Kashmiri chilli powder) 1 tbsp cumin seeds 1 tbsp ground coriander 1 tbsp tomato purée 1 tsp tamarind paste, or lemon juice 400g can chopped tomatoes 100g red lentils 1 chicken or vegetable stock cube 1 tbsp garam masala 200g raw or cooked prawns green chillies, sliced red onions soaked in lemon juice, and coriander leaves to serve

1 Heat the oil in a shallow casserole and cook the onion with a pinch of salt for 10 mins until it starts to turn golden. Add the garlic, ginger,

turmeric, chilli powder, cumin seeds and ground coriander, and cook for 3 mins until the mixture is sticky. Stir in the tomato purée and tamarind, if using, followed by the chopped tomatoes. Simmer for 8-10 mins until you have a thick paste – the oil may separate out, this is fine. 2 Stir the lentils into the tomato base, then tip in 600ml water (use some to swill out the tomato can) and the stock cube. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for 50 mins-1 hr, topping up with more water if needed, until the lentils are soft and have started to cook down. Stir through the garam masala. 3 Tip in the prawns and cook for 5 mins or until either heated through or pink and opaque. Season with salt. Slice the green chillies and sprinkle these over along with the quick-pickled onions and coriander leaves. Serve. GOOD TO KNOW low fat • low cal • fibre • iron • 3 of 5-a-day • gluten free PER SERVING 267 kcals • fat 11g • saturates 1g • carbs 25g • sugars 9g • fibre 6g • protein 15g • salt 1.3g

Pork chops & mustardy butter beans SERVES 2 PREP 10 mins COOK 30 mins EASY

2 tbsp olive oil 1 onion, finely sliced 1 small garlic clove, crushed 400g can butter beans, or the equivalent home-cooked or from jar 100ml chicken stock 200g spinach 3 tbsp crème fraiche ½ tbsp wholegrain mustard 2 pork chops

1 Heat 1 tbsp oil in a saucepan. Add the onion and fry over a low heat for 10 mins, or until softened. Add the garlic and cook for 1 min. Stir through the butter beans and stock and bring to a simmer. Add the

spinach. Cook, covered for 3 mins or until the spinach is wilted. 2 Blitz the mixture using a hand blender for 10 secs, leaving some chunky, whole beans. Stir through the crème fraîche and mustard and season generously, then simmer for 3 mins with the lid off until thickened. Keep warm. 3 Season the pork chops on both sides. Heat the remaining oil in a non-stick pan over a medium-high heat. Hold the chops on their sides with a pair of tongs to brown the fat. Cook each one on both sides until cooked through; how long this takes will depend on the thickness of the chops, about 7-10 mins. Spoon the beans onto plates, slice the pork and arrange on top. GOOD TO KNOW calcium • folate • fibre • iron • 3 of 5-a-day PER SERVING 610 kcals • fat 37g • saturates 12g • carbs 22g • sugars 7g • fibre 9g • protein 43g • salt 0.8g

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spotlight

Beany snacks and sweet things Chocolate & black bean brownies

sunflower oil, for the tin 800g cooked black beans, either 2 x 400g cans without added salt, drained, or the equivalent home-cooked 1 tbsp vanilla extract 6 large eggs 200g soft butter 200g light muscovado sugar 100g cocoa powder 1 tsp baking powder 85g chilli-flavoured chocolate or plain chocolate, chopped

brownie tin and line with baking parchment. Blitz the beans and vanilla, 1/2 tsp salt and 2 eggs with a hand blender until smooth. 2 Put the butter and sugar in a bowl with the cocoa and remaining eggs, and beat with an electric whisk until creamy. Start slowly, then increase the speed as you mix (so you don’t get covered with cocoa). Beat in the baking powder, then stir in the bean mixture and fold in the chocolate. 3 Scrape the mixture into the tin with a spatula, level it and bake for 25 mins or until firm to the touch. Leave to cool, then cut into squares. Will keep for a few days in a tin at room temperature, and up to one week in the fridge.

1 Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/ gas 4. Lightly oil a 20 x 30cm

GOOD TO KNOW gluten free PER SERVING 202 kcals • fat 13g • saturates 7g • carbs 15g • sugars 11g • fibre 3g • protein 5g • salt 0.6g

MAKES 16-20 PREP 20 mins COOK 25-30 mins EASY

Ful medames SERVES 4 as a snack PREP 5 mins COOK 35 mins EASY V 400g can fava beans 1 small onion, finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, crushed 100ml olive oil 2 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp chilli flakes 200g can of chopped tomatoes ½ lemon, juiced 2 tbsp tahini

Roasted chickpeas SERVES 2 PREP 5 mins COOK 15 mins EASY V

Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/ gas 4. Drain 400g chickpeas in a sieve. Shake off the liquid and tip onto a baking tray lined with baking parchment. Drizzle with 2 tsp oil, sprinkle with a large pinch of cumin and large pinch of paprika, and season with a generous pinch of salt. Toss to coat. Bake for 15 mins, stirring halfway through. Enjoy warm or cold. GOOD TO KNOW vegan • healthy • low fat • low cal PER SERVING 115 kcals • fat 3g • saturates 0.3g • carbs 12g • sugars 0.4g • fibre 5g • protein 6g • salt none

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1 Tip the beans and their liquid into a pan. Bring to the boil to warm through, then take off the heat. 2 Fry the onion and garlic in all but a few tablespoons of the olive oil for 5 mins in a frying pan, then add 2 tsp sea salt, the cumin, chilli and tomatoes. Drain the beans, reserving the cooking liquid. Add to the onion mix and cook over a low heat for 30 mins, stirring often and adding cooking liquid if it looks dry. 3 Mash the beans with the remaining olive oil, lemon juice and tahini. The final consistency should be a chunky, soft purée. GOOD TO KNOW vegan • gluten free PER SERVING 335 kcals • fat 30g • saturates 4g • carbs 8g • sugars 2g • fibre 4g • protein 6g • salt 3.1g

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Feel your best Discover how Centrum’s multivitamin tablet range can help support your nutritional needs all year round ith the new year in full swing, you’re likely busy refreshing your routines and following through on your resolutions for a healthier, happier you. Whether you’re aiming to move regularly, cook more nourishing meals or simply practice some self-care, small changes can make a meaningful difference to your overall wellbeing. When it comes to food, a varied and balanced diet is always the ideal way to get the nutrients you need. But with busy schedules, limited daylight and individual dietary needs, it can be tricky to know you’re getting enough

of them each day. That’s why Centrum offers essential vitamins and minerals in just one daily tablet.

Start your day the Centrum way

Each multivitamin in Centrum’s range contains a carefully selected mix of nutrients – all tailored to you, based on your gender, age and lifestyle. For example, Centrum Women is crafted with a combination of vitamins and minerals designed to support women’s nutritional needs. Meanwhile, Centrum Vitamin D Boost offers a simple and reliable way for adults to top up their vitamin D levels during the darker months, when sun exposure is minimal. If you’re unsure which multivitamin suits you best, visit centrum.co.uk and take the ‘Choose your Centrum’ quiz to ﬁnd the right one for you.

WHAT DO CENTRUM MULTIVITAMINS CONTAIN? Here are just a few of the vitamins and minerals you can find in Centrum’s tablets and how they can help to support you when combined with a healthy diet. • Vitamin B1 (Thiamin) contributes to the normal function of the heart. • Vitamin B12 contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism and the reduction of tiredness and fatigue. • Vitamin B6 contributes to the regulation of hormonal activity. • Vitamin C contributes to the normal function of the immune system. • Vitamin D contributes to the maintenance of normal bones and teeth. • Magnesium contributes to normal muscle and psychological function. • Iron contributes to the normal formation of red blood cells and haemoglobin. • Biotin contributes to the maintenance of normal hair and skin. Shop the full Centrum multivitamin range now in your local pharmacy or supermarket

FEBRUARY 2026 goodfood.com 77

Good food for a good mood

Discover how what you eat can help lift your spirits with expert advice and a tempting recipe from Dr Chintal Patel

Chintal is a long-serving GP for the NHS, as well as a food content creator, cookbook author and our regular contributor. She has a passion for nutrition and lifestyle medicine, and aims to help people approach cooking and eating in a way that supports overall wellbeing. @drchintalskitchen

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health

he colder months of the year can feel draining for many. With shorter days and less sunlight, many people experience dips in energy and mood, sometimes linked to Seasonal Affective disorder (SAD). While light exposure, activity and sleep are key for managing mood, what we eat also plays an important role in supporting brain health and emotional wellbeing. Certain nutrients are linked to serotonin production, stable energy and reduced inflammation – all of which can help lift our mood. So, let’s discuss how we can add the right foods to our plates to ensure both good food and good mood.

Eat more of these foods • Wholegrains/complex carbohydrates Wholegrains like oats, brown rice and barley, along with starchy vegetables such as sweet potatoes, provide a slow, steady release of energy to fuel the brain and stabilise mood. They also support serotonin production – the neurotransmitter that regulates wellbeing. Their fibre content benefits gut health, which growing research shows is closely linked to mental health. Simple swaps like choosing wholemeal pasta or brown rice can make a big difference.

Photographer CHELSEA BLOXSOME | Shoot director RACHEL BAYLY | Stylist JO HARRIS | Food stylist AMY KINNEAR

• Protein rich foods Eggs, poultry, dairy, tofu and legumes provide amino acids, which are the building blocks for brain chemicals that regulate mood. Tryptophan, found in foods such as chicken, eggs and soy, is essential for making serotonin and melatonin, important for supporting emotional balance and sleep. You should aim to include a variety of animal and plant protein sources to support your mood. • Leafy greens, beans & pulses Spinach, kale, beans, chickpeas and lentils are excellent sources of folate and magnesium, both of which are vital for brain and mood health. Folate helps produce neurotransmitters, while magnesium supports stress regulation and sleep. Low levels of either nutrient are linked to fatigue and low mood, so try adding greens to meals or swapping meat for beans in recipes. • Oily fish, nuts & seeds Omega-3 fatty acids from oily fish, such as salmon and mackerel, or plant sources like walnuts, flax and chia, are crucial for brain health. They help reduce inflammation, support brain cell structure and may lower the risk of depression. As the body can’t produce its own omega-3, aim for one portion of oily fish per week, or add plant-based sources daily to keep the brain nourished and your mood balanced.

Foods to limit Sugary food & drinks Excess sugar causes energy spikes followed by crashes, which can negatively affect mood and concentration. High intake is also linked to inflammation and oxidative stress, both of which can affect brain health. Opt for naturally sweet foods, like fresh fruit, or pair a sweet treat with fibre or protein to stabilise blood sugars. Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) Ready meals, packaged snacks and other UPFs are often high in refined oils, sugar and salt, but low in nutrients. Regular consumption is linked to inflammation and a higher risk of depression and anxiety. Choosing minimally processed whole foods and cooking from scratch wherever possible supports your mental wellbeing. Excess caffeine Caffeine is a stimulant that temporarily boosts alertness; however, it may also overstimulate the nervous system, raising stress hormones or triggering anxiety or restlessness. Drinking coffee later in the day can also interfere with your sleep, and poor sleep is strongly tied to low mood. Try to enjoy caffeinated drinks before midday to avoid any sleep disturbance.

What else can I do? • Maximise natural light Aim to spend some time outdoors in daylight every day – especially in the morning – to regulate your body clock and top up vitamin D levels. • Stay active & exercise Regular movement boosts endorphins, helping lift your mood and manage stress levels. Try to incorporate simple exercise into your day, like getting off your bus a stop early and walking the rest of the way. • Connect with others Spending time with family and friends can prevent feelings of isolation and provide emotional support and wellbeing during the winter months. Try joining a community enterprise or volunteer at a local charity.

FEBRUARY 2026 goodfood.com 79

health

Blueberries

Feel-good dark chocolate torte Food is about joy and pleasure as well as nourishment. This torte ticks both boxes: delicious, rich flavours with nutrient-packed ingredients that support mood and wellbeing.

High in flavonoids – shown to support memory, brain function and positive mood

Oats

Cacao powder

Complex carbohydrate that promotes steady blood sugar and supports serotonin production

Contains flavonoids and small amounts of tryptophan – compounds linked with improved mood and cognitive function

SERVES 8-10 PREP 20 mins plus 1 hr chilling COOK 25 mins EASY V

100g oats 100g medjool dates, chopped 150g ground almonds 25g cacao powder 4 tbsp tahini For the filling 180g dark chocolate (70% cocoa) 300g silken tofu 60g raspberries 60g blueberries

1 Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/ gas 6. Put the oats in a food processor and pulse to a coarse powder. Add the dates, ground almonds, cacao powder and tahini, and blitz until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs and holds together when pressed between your fingers. Add a little more tahini to bind it, if needed. Press the mixture firmly into the base and up the side of a 20cm tart tin using your fingers. Bake for 20-25 mins, then cool. 2 Break up the dark chocolate and tip into a heatproof bowl. Melt in the microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring well between each, until the chocolate is fully melted and smooth. 3 Blitz the tofu to a smooth paste using a hand blender, then fold into the melted chocolate to fully combine. Pour the filling into the cooled base, smoothing the surface using the back of a spoon or a spatula. Chill for at Dark chocolate least 1 hr, or up to two days. Contains polyphenols 4 When ready to serve, remove from the tin and sit on a serving plate or that may boost board. Scatter over the berries, then endorphins and serotonin, cut into slices to serve. with studies showing GOOD TO KNOW vegan benefits for mood PER SERVING (10) 337 kcals • fat 22g • saturates 6g • carbs 23g • sugars 13g • fibre 5g • protein 10g • and stress reduction

Medjool dates Provide natural sweetness and fibre, and support gut microbiome and mood

salt 0.02g

Raspberries

9 plant points to support gut health

High in protein to provide building blocks for brain hormones

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High in gut-friendly fibre linked to reduced risk of depression

Rich in vitamin C and polyphenols, helping reduce oxidative stress and support brain health and mood

Fuel for life: a nutrition guide for men PART 2 MEN’S HEALTH

Last month we shared dietary advice for supporting women through different life stages — this month we focus on what men should be eating through each day to keep fit

our nutritional needs will depend on your age, physical fitness and activity levels as well as your risk of disease. Find out how much carbohydrate, protein and fat you should be eating and how to make the right choices for a diet to keep you full and energised around the clock.

Common health concerns for men Whether male or female, we should all be aiming for a minimum of five portions of fruit and vegetables a day, but in the UK only one in three men achieve this minimum target. Fruit and vegetables contain vitamins, minerals and protective compounds that support health, including that of the prostate. With prostate cancer now the most commonly diagnosed cancer among men in the UK, it’s worth considering how diet can help guard against it. Achieving a minimum of five a day may also help lower the risk of heart disease, stroke and some cancers. Failing to eat a balanced, healthy diet could put you at increased risk of other conditions including type 2 diabetes as well as anxiety and depression.

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Breakfast W

hether your first stop is the office or the gym, adding protein to your breakfast is a great way to rev up your metabolism. If you are exercising, it may help promote muscle recovery and repair. Eggs are a great choice because they provide a good balance of quality protein and fat as well as important micronutrients, like vitamin D. Other options are lean ham, fish like salmon or haddock, as well as lower-fat dairy or dairy-free alternatives. Including protein will slow stomach emptying, too, which means you’re likely to stay fuller for longer, helping you eat fewer calories over the rest of the day. If you’re short of time in the morning a protein-rich breakfast needn’t take you any longer. Top your morning toast with smoked salmon, ham or boiled eggs and when you do have a little longer enjoy an omelette or frittata.

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Scrambled omelette toast topper Rich in protein to keep you feeling fuller for longer and quick to prepare, eggs are always a great choice to start the day. SERVES 1 PREP 5 mins COOK 5 mins EASY V

2 eggs 1 tbsp crème fraîche 25g cheddar grated small bunch of chives, fimely chopped 1 tsp oil 1 spring onion, sliced

3-4 cherry tomatoes halved 2 slices crusty bread, toasted

1 Beat together eggs, crème fraîche, cheese and chives with a little seasoning. 2 Heat the oil in a pan, then fry the spring onions for a few minutes to soften. Add tomatoes and warm through, then pour in egg mixture. Cook over a low heat, stirring, until the eggs are just set. Pile over the toast. GOOD TO KNOW calcium • folate • fibre • vit c • iron • 1 of 5-a-day PER SERVING 559 kcals • fat 29g • saturates 13g • carbs 42g • sugars 5g • fibre 4g • protein 30g • salt 2.07g

health

What is a ‘balanced diet’? The UK government has defined the different types of foods we should be eating and in what proportions with The Eatwell Guide (gov.uk/government/publications/ the-eatwell-guide). It offers simple rules to follow like eating a minimum five fruit and veg per day, choosing wholegrains and more fish, poultry, beans and pulses, less red meat and lower-fat, lower-sugar dairy, or dairy-free alternatives. Here, we’ll look at what your daily intake should be according to those guidelines, and share delicious ideas for what’s best to eat at a particular time of day. Reference Intakes (RI) Nutritional needs vary depending on sex, size, age and activity levels so use this as a general guide only. Reference Intakes (RI) are the daily amounts recommended for an average, moderately active adult to achieve a healthy, balanced diet for maintaining (rather than losing or gaining) weight. The RIs for fat, saturates, sugars and salt are maximum amounts, while those for carbs and protein are figures you should aim to meet each day. There is no RI for fibre although experts agree that we should achieve 30g per day. It’s also worth noting that the RIs on most pre-packaged food labels are for the average woman. The following applies for men: • Energy – 2500kcal • Protein – 55g • Carbohydrates – 333g • Total sugar – 120g • Fat – 97g • Saturates – 31g • Salt – 6g

Mid-morning snack

ating well in the morning is vital for balancing energy levels throughout your day. This means that if you snack you should choose foods that satisfy your energy needs plus supply extra benefits like topping up your five-a-day. Excellent choices include peanut butter and slices of banana on crackers, or creamy avocado with slices of turkey.

Turkey & avocado toast Layer up heart-healthy avocado with protein-rich, low-fat turkey for an energy boost. Avocados also contain a plant sterol called beta-sitosterol, which may help alleviate symptoms associated with an enlarged prostate. SERVES 2 PREP 10 mins COOK 5 mins EASY

1 avocado ½ lime, juiced 2-3 small slices ciabatta bread 100g turkey slices

1 Halve and stone the avocado, then scrape out the flesh into a bowl. Squeeze in the lime, season, then mash roughly with a fork. 2 Toast the ciabatta, spread with the mashed avocado, top with the turkey slices and finish with a grinding of black pepper. GOOD TO KNOW 1 of 5-a-day PER SERVING 208 kcals • fat 11g • saturates 2g • carbs 10g • sugars 1g • fibre 3g • protein 14g • salt 0.9g

The recommended daily amount of fibre is 30g, yet many only manage just over half of this

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Lunch M

ake lunch a mix of lean protein and starchy carbs. Carb-rich foods supply energy so if you cut them out, you’ll likely suffer from a mid-afternoon slump. The key is to choose carbs that produce a steady rise in blood sugar, which means passing on sugary ‘white’ foods and going for high-fibre wholegrains, which will help manage those afternoon munchies. Wholegrains like rye, wholewheat and barley keep you satisfied for longer. In fact, studies show rye bread keeps blood sugar more stable than the equivalent wheat version, so a simple swap can be a way to dampen those mid-afternoon energy crashes. Try an open sandwich topped with lean beef or pork, salmon, turkey or chicken with plenty of salad, or toast some wholegrain bread and enjoy with baked beans.

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Halloumi & beetroot open sandwich Broad beans and hummus provide plant protein and fibre, plus studies show that beetroot may improve exercise performance and help manage blood pressure by dilating blood vessels. SERVES 1 PREP 15 mins COOK 7 mins EASY V

25g fresh or frozen broad beans 25g halloumi 1 slice rye bread or sourdough 2 beetroots, cooked 1 tbsp hummus ½ lemon

1 Bring a saucepan of water to the boil and cook the beans for 1-2 mins. Drain and run under cold water, then peel off the skins. Set aside. 2 Heat the grill to its highest setting. Put the halloumi on a baking tray

and grill for 3 mins, turning halfway through to brown on both sides. Toast the bread and transfer to a serving plate. 3 Spread the hummus over the toast, quarter the beetroot then add that and the grilled halloumi on top. Scatter over the beans, then squeeze over some lemon juice and finish with black pepper. GOOD TO KNOW calcium • folate • fibre • vit c • 1 of 5-a-day PER SERVING 425 kcals • fat 15g • saturates 4g • carbs 47g • sugars 10g • fibre 10g • protein 19g • salt 2.35g

health

Mid-afternoon F

or many it’s not sugar so much as salty, savoury foods they crave in the afternoon. If this sounds like you, forget the crisps and make your own using veg, like we’ve done here. You could also opt for spiced nuts, seeds, savoury popcorn, or enjoy low-fat soft cheese spread over wholewheat crackers.

Spiced kale crisps Satisfy the desire for a crunchy snack with this nutritious option. Being a cruciferous vegetable, kale contains compounds that may help protect against prostate and other cancers. SERVES 4-6 PREP 5 mins plus drying COOK 20 mins EASY

100g/4oz chunky chopped kale, or kale leaves, tough stalks removed (weight without stalks) ½ tbsp olive oil 1 heaped tsp ras el hanout

1 Wash the kale, then set aside and leave to dry thoroughly.

2 Heat the oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 2 and line two baking trays with baking parchment. Tip the kale into a large bowl, tearing any large leaves into smaller pieces. Drizzle over the olive oil, then massage this into the kale. Sprinkle over the ras el hanout and some sea salt, mix well, then tip onto the prepared trays and spread out in a single layer. Bake for 18-22 mins or until crisp but still green. Leave to cool for a few minutes before eating. GOOD TO KNOW gluten free PER SERVING (6) 17 kcals • fat 1g • saturates 0.2g • carbs 0.5g • sugars 0.3g • fibre 1g • protein 0.6g • salt 0.06g

tip KEEP THEM CRISPY Kale crisps are best eaten within a few hours of making. If they become soft, pop them back in a low oven for 3-4 mins to crisp up. MAKE YOUR OWN SPICE BLEND As an alternative to ras el hanout, try sprinkling over 1 tsp each of turmeric, ground cinnamon and ground coriander before baking.

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health

Dinner D

on’t curfew wholegrain carbs at night — they’re low in fat, rich in fibre and help your body relax in the evening. Combine them with essential fats which your body can use overnight, along with protein, to help your cells regenerate and repair. This combination is especially important for healthy skin and hair. You can get these healthy fats from fatty varieties of fish, like salmon, trout and mackerel as well as nuts, seeds and their oils. Fill half your plate with a colourful variety of vegetables or salad, drizzle with a dressing made from olive oil and add meat, fish or beans with a serving of brown rice, quinoa or wholemeal pasta.

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Lamb with buckwheat noodles & tomato dressing Being rich in zinc and protective plant compounds, including rutin and quercetin, and a valuable source of fibre, buckwheat noodles help support prostate health and function. SERVES 2 PREP 15 mins COOK 25 mins EASY

12 cherry tomatoes, quartered 1 tsp fish sauce 1 lime, zested and juiced 1 tbsp sweet chilli sauce 100g buckwheat noodles 2 tsp rapeseed oil 1 red onion, halved and sliced 1 carrot, cut into matchsticks 1 red pepper, deseeded and sliced 100g shredded white cabbage 200g lean lamb loin fillet or steaks, diced 4 tbsp chopped fresh mint

1 Lightly squash the tomatoes with the fish sauce, lime zest and juice, and the chilli sauce. Cook the noodles following pack instructions. Set aside. 2 Meanwhile, heat the oil in a wok or large pan and stir-fry the onion, carrot and pepper for 5 mins or until softened. Add the cabbage and cook for a few minutes more. Remove the veg from the pan, add the lamb and cook for 5-8 mins. Take off the heat, then toss in the noodles, cooked vegetables, tomato dressing and mint to serve. GOOD TO KNOW low fat • low cal • folate • fibre • vit c • 3 of 5-a-day • gluten free PER SERVING 469 kcals • fat 12g • saturates 3g • carbs 55g • sugars 20g • fibre 10g • protein 30g • salt 1.2g

tip Fish sauce is very high in salt, so don’t be tempted to add more.

NO HYPE, JUST GOOD HEALTH Introducing your new trusted source for simple, expert advice on ˚ΗΒ²ÂΒÂć˚➫ʇϖʇΒ˚Ê¾¾ʇ®˚∆ʇÊııøÊÂ˚›➪ Follow ˂›ćć∆‚Ê®ıΒ‚øφ›ćć∆‹ćć∆ʇ to be part of the journey.

advertisement feature Every product in the Nutrient Dense range has the M&S Eat Well health seal of approval

Kickstart your year Want to increase your protein intake? Or add more ﬁbre to your diet? Here are ﬁve ways M&S Food can help you hit your health goals in 2026

Boost your nutrients

The new M&S Nutrient Dense range was created by in-house nutritionists and chefs, using nutrition guidelines developed in consultation with the British Nutrition Foundation. From speedy meals and salads to snacks and drinks, these products are made with whole foods and perfectly portioned to offer high amounts of nutrients – such as ﬁbre, vitamins and minerals – per calorie. “Fibre takes centre stage in Nutrient

Dense, as 96% of UK adults aren’t getting the recommended 30g per day*,” says M&S Senior Nutritionist Louisa Brunt. “We’re making it easier to increase your intake with delicious options across the range.” Discover just a few you can choose from in the box below.

Sip a shot

If you try one new thing this January, make it the M&S Nutrient Dense H5O Shot. After the sea moss trend amassed more

Nutrient Dense Super Seeded Oaty Bread ∙ This sliced oat bread is made with a mix of linseeds, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds. Each slice contains 6g fibre and 6g protein. Nutrient Dense Romesco Chicken ∙ With 8g fibre and 35g protein, this flavour-packed meal for one consists of chicken in a smoky sundried tomato and red pepper romesco sauce, with spinach and a quinoa and cauliflower grain mix. Nutrient Dense Berry Bliss Bowl ∙ A natural yogurt bowl with three berry purées and chia, pomegranate and sunflower seeds, containing 10g fibre and 9g protein. Nutrient Dense Roasted Butternut & Almond Grains Salad ∙ A nourishing blend of cannellini beans, mixed grains, veg and almonds with a red pepper and miso dressing. One pot offers 13g protein and more than a third of your daily fibre.

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than 1.3 billion TikTok views, M&S Food sourced high-quality red algae from the cold waters of the Irish Atlantic to create this refreshing shot. Made with coconut water and vegetable fibre, each shot contains 4g fibre, 22 calories and a unique combination of five botanicals – ginger, ginseng, Japanese honeysuckle, yellow passionfruit and green cardamom – verified by researchers at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Coconut water is a source of naturally occurring electrolytes, while sea moss is high in iodine, which many people lack in their diet.

Go with your gut

The bestselling M&S Good Gut range now includes drinks, yogurts and shots made with an exclusive new M&S TriMarks™ blend of fibre, live cultures and Plenibiotic™. For instance, the Good Gut Honey & Ginger Kefir Drink is a source of calcium and protein with billions of live cultures. There are also various fibre-rich cereals, including the Good Gut Mango & Apple Granola, which feature plant foods, such as oats, barley and seeds. M&S Senior Nutritionist Sophia Thistlethwaite highlights why gut health

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High Protein Strawberry Matcha Overnight Oats Pot

High Protein Chicken Arrabbiata

Best enjoyed as part of a healthy, balanced lifestyle. Iodine contributes to normal energyyielding metabolism, calcium contributes to the normal function of digestive enzymes.

is so important: “Our gut microbiome – the balance of good and bad bacteria in our digestive system – impacts our overall health in so many ways, including our mood, metabolism and immune system.”

Pack in protein

Protein contributes to the growth and maintenance of muscle mass, so Sophia recommends choosing a protein-rich meal after exercising, such as a stir-fry or salmon traybake. The M&S High Protein range has plenty of tempting options, whether you want a hearty dinner or a post-gym snack. You can ﬁnd some of the latest products and ﬂavours below.

Switch up your snacks

Of course, M&S Food has a whole host of snacks to ﬁt every mood, diet or occasion as well. Below are three top picks for January.

High Protein Sweet Chilli Popped Red Lentil Tortillas ∙ These tangy popped lentil tortillas are a source of fibre, with 6g protein per serving. Good Gut Mango & Passionfruit & Strawberry Kefir Yogurts ∙ Featuring the M&S TriMarks™ blend and billions of live cultures, these kefir yogurts are a source of calcium and protein. High Protein Shot ∙ This chocolate-flavoured milk shot contains 10g protein and no added sugar. Plus, it’s a source of magnesium.

High Protein Chicken Arrabbiata ∙ Succulent British chicken in a spicy tomato sauce with pasta, roasted vegetables and spinach. This meal for one contains 44g of protein per serving and has the M&S Eat Well health seal of approval. High Protein Strawberry Matcha Overnight Oats Pot ∙ These matcha overnight oats are topped with a high protein strawberry yogurt for a total of 20g protein per pot. High Protein Green Goddess Chicken Egg Wrap ∙ With 26g protein, this egg wrap is packed with British chicken, pickled slaw and a tangy, fragrant green goddess dressing.

Discover more delicious inspiration at marksandspencer.com/health *OHID. (2025). National Diet and Nutrition Survey 2019 to 2023: report. London: UK Government

FEBRUARY 2026 goodfood.com 89

The Good Food Wine Subscription

Foodie wines, just £9.99 a bottle – refresh your wine rack for 2026

Includes three free gifts plus free delivery! Good food deserves great wine – presenting the Good Food Wine Subscription. Your introductory 12-bottle case opens with Spain’s juicy Camino de Seda and Portugal’s gently spiced Vinha do Fava – classic reds to complement hearty roasts – and The Black Stump, a big Aussie red that stands up to steaks. There’s a fresh South African white that’s perfect with

chicken risotto, plus seafoodfriendly Pinot Grigio and a French original to complement stir-fries. JUST £9.99 a bottle. PLUS, you get two Dartington glasses, a bottle of Prosecco and olive oil – together worth £37 – for FREE. You’ll then enjoy regular free deliveries, locked-in value and access to inspirational recipe ideas via our online hub, plus a bottle of olive oil with every case.

YOUR DEAL AT A GLANCE • The Good Food Wine Subscription introductory case – just £9.99 a bottle • FREE FRE Prosecco, glasses and nd olive o oil, worth £37

To explore the full range, go to goodfoodwineclub.com/febwine or call 03300 242 855 * Good Food Wine Club wines are supplied and delivered by Laithwaites. 18+ only. Free standard delivery, usually £7.99. Delivery to UK only (excluding CI and BFPO). If you buy a case of wine through this offer, you are joining a wine subscription, and wine subscription terms and conditions apply in addition to our terms and conditions of purchase (see laithwaites.co.uk/terms). You’ll be offered a case every eight weeks unless you change the frequency. See goodfoodwineclub.com/ terms for full terms and conditions, and privacy policy. Registered in England and Wales. Registered Number 1095091.One Waterside Drive, Arlington Business Park, Theale, Berkshire, RG7 4SW. Unless otherwise stated, wines contain sulphites.

90 goodfood.com FEBRUARY 2026

One-pot chicken biryani, p96

Make time for yourself Serve a feast for Ramadan with recipes from content creator Zaynah Din and learn to make buttermilk roast chicken like bestselling author Samin Nosrat. Plus, spend a bit of time in the kitchen mastering classic chocolate cake with advice from Cassie Best.

Be inspired and discover more at goodfood.com/ feature/weekend

weekend FEBRUARY 2026 goodfood.com 91

Fast days

big flavours From a spin on shakshuka to one-pot biryani and matcha-infused falooda, food writer Zaynah Din marks Ramadan with deliciously vibrant recipes photographs HANNAH TAYLOR-EDDINGTON

ftar is the evening meal that marks the end of the day’s fasting during Ramadan, which is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. This sacred period for Muslims focusses on spiritual reflection, self-improvement and worship, and involves fasting from dawn to sunset each day, beginning with suhoor, the pre-dawn meal, and concluding with iftar at sunset. During the daily fasting period, Muslims abstain from all food and drink. Traditionally, the daily fast is broken with dates and water at the time of the

Maghrib adhan (the early evening call to prayer). After offering the Maghrib prayer, Muslims enjoy a larger, more nourishing meal, and dedicate time to performing additional prayers after Isha (the fifth and final obligatory prayer of the day) and Taraweeh – the special nightly prayers that are unique to Ramadan. The Islamic calendar follows the lunar phases, so the date of Ramadan changes each year. In 2026, Ramadan is expected to begin on the evening of 18 February, subject to the sighting of the new moon.

Zaynah Din is a Pakistani content creator from London known for her trademarked ‘Desified’ recipes. Previously working in tech, she turned her cooking hobby into a full-time career during lockdown. She now has 800,000 followers and is loved for her easy recipes with big Desi flavours and a mix of authentic Pakistani and fun fusion ideas. Her viral Ramadan recipe series and best-selling cookbook Desified have helped her make Pakistani cuisine accessible for all. @zaynahsbakes

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weekend

Keema shakshuka , p96

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One-pot chicken biryani , p96

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weekend

FEBRUARY 2026 goodfood.com 95

SERVES 2-3 PREP 10 mins COOK 30 mins EASY

1 tbsp olive oil 1 medium onion, finely chopped 1 tbsp garlic & ginger purée 1 green chilli, finely chopped (optional) 400g beef or lamb mince 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp ground coriander 1 tsp paprika 1 /2 tsp ground turmeric 1 /2 -1 tsp chilli powder (or to taste) 1 red pepper, sliced 2 tbsp tomato purée 400g can chopped tomatoes 1 tsp garam masala 4-6 eggs small handful of coriander and buttered sourdough toast, to serve

1 Heat the oil in a large ovenproof frying pan or shallow flameproof casserole dish over a medium heat and fry the onion for 5 mins until golden. Add the garlic & ginger purée and chilli, and continue to fry until fragrant. 2 Add the mince, breaking it up well using a wooden spoon. Cook for 8-10 mins until well browned. Stir in the spices and fry for 1 min more until fragrant, then add the sliced pepper. Cook for 2-3 mins until the pepper is well coated in the spices and starting to soften. 3 Mix in tomato purée and chopped tomatoes, and simmer for 10-12 mins until thickened. Season to taste and stir in the garam masala. Make small gaps in the mixture using the back of a spoon and crack in the eggs. Cover with a lid and cook for 2-4 mins, or until the eggs are set. Garnish with some coriander and serve with buttered sourdough toast. GOOD TO KNOW folate • vit c • iron • 3 of 5-a-day PER SERVING 493 kcals • fat 29g • saturates 10g • carbs 13g • sugars 11g • fibre 5g • protein 42g • salt 0.79g

One-pot chicken biryani As Ramadan goes on, our energy levels dip and time in the kitchen feels shorter than ever. That’s when this biryani comes in: it’s a quick, fragrant and flavour-packed iftaar meal that can be made without juggling pots or spending hours over the hob. All the flavour and comfort of biryani, with just one pot to wash. SERVES 2-3 PREP 10 mins plus soaking and resting COOK 30 mins EASY

250g basmati rice 1 tsp olive oil 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs 3 tbsp biryani spice mix (I like Shan Memoni biryani spice sachets, available online or in specialist shops) 3 tbsp yogurt 2 tbsp butter small handful of coriander leaves, to serve 1 lemon, cut into wedges, to serve

1 Rinse the rice three times, then cover with fresh cold water and leave to soak for 20 mins. 2 Meanwhile, heat the oil in a wide, shallow, flameproof casserole dish over a medium heat and sear the chicken thighs, skin-side down, for 10 mins, or until the skin is well browned and crisp. Flip the thighs over and sprinkle over the spice mix, stirring well to coat the chicken. Mix in the yogurt until the chicken is well coated. 3 Drain the soaked rice and add it to the pan, spreading it evenly around the chicken. Pour in 500ml water and bring to a simmer. Once simmering, cover with a tightfitting lid. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 15 mins until the rice is fluffy and the chicken is cooked through. Dot over the butter and cover again. Turn off the heat and let the biryani rest for 5 mins. Fluff the rice gently with a fork. Scatter the coriander over the top and serve with the lemon wedges. PER SERVING 534 kcals • fat 21g • saturates 8g • carbs 54g • sugars 3g • fibre 2g • protein 31g • salt 3.42g

96 goodfood.com FEBRUARY 2026

Matcha falooda SERVES 2-4 PREP 20 mins EASY V

75g thin cornstarch or wheat vermicelli noodles, cut into 5cm pieces 1 tsp tukmaria (basil seeds; see tip) 2 tsp matcha powder 2 tbsp rose syrup 480ml milk (any kind) 150g strawberries, hulled and roughly chopped, or use blueberries or raspberries vanilla ice cream, to serve (optional)

1 Bring 500ml water to the boil in a small pan, then add the noodles and boil for 5 mins until soft. Drain and set aside. Mix the tukmaria with 4 tbsp water, and set aside. 2 Whisk the matcha with 2 tbsp warm water in a small bowl until smooth. Combine the rose syrup and milk in a jug, divide between two large or four small glasses, then add a spoonful of the soaked tukmaria, drained vermicelli and strawberries to each glass. Divide the matcha between them, then top each with a spoonful of ice cream, if you like. GOOD TO KNOW low fat • vit c PER SERVING (4) 194 kcals • fat 5g • saturates 3g • carbs 29g • sugars 13g • fibre 3g • protein 6g • salt 0.15g

tip If you can’t find tukmaria for the falooda, chia seeds work well.

Shoot director JORDAN EDMONDS-MOORE | Food stylist ROSIE REYNOLDS | Stylist FAYE WEARS

Keema shakshuka

weekend

FEBRUARY 2026 goodfood.com 97

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ou’ve probably enjoyed maple syrup drizzled over pancakes or waffles, but did you know you can use it in a whole host of other drinks, bakes and savoury dishes, too? And when it comes to choosing the right one for your cupboard, you can always rely on Buckwud to bring you the best quality and taste. Each bottle of Buckwud contains 100% pure organic Canadian maple syrup, drawn from maple trees. It’s totally natural and plant-based, making it ideal for vegans and vegetarians, and doesn’t contain any GMOs (genetically modified organisms), artificial flavours, preservatives or allergens. Plus, its deliciously buttery caramel flavour has even earned it a Great Taste Award. If you want to give Buckwud a go, here are just a few ways you can use this staple ingredient to add both sweetness and depth to some of your favourite recipes.

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You can substitute sugar for Buckwud Maple Syrup in all sorts of cakes and bakes, but make sure to reduce the quantity and adjust other liquids to maintain texture. Buckwud’s caramel sweetness works brilliantly in nutty, spiced or fruity recipes, such as pecan pie or banana bread. It’s also good for ﬂavouring icings or drizzling over freshly baked treats.

Sweeter sips Instead of adding sugar to your tea or coffee, why not try using Buckwud Maple Syrup? It makes an excellent natural alternative, bringing a subtle honey-like ﬂavour and hint of caramel to your morning cuppa. Later in the evening, you could warm up with a mug of rich maple-infused hot chocolate or stir a spoonful of Buckwud into hot milk with a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg for a cosy bedtime beverage.

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BUCKWUD® is a registered trade mark of Rowse Honey Limited.

Roast with the most

My favourite dish

Samin Nosrat’s

buttermilk roast chicken

102 goodfood.com FEBRUARY 2026

college. Then, when I was approaching graduation – I was an English major but I didn’t really know what I was going to do – I saw all these world-class cooks, and they were so masterful, I thought, ‘I want to be good at that!’ I begged them to teach me and they said ‘no’ 500 times, but I persisted and eventually, I got an apprenticeship and worked my way up. I remember as a young person it was mind-blowing for me to enter this kitchen and see people adding salt to food by the handful, and the food wasn’t too salty — it was delicious. I feel like a broken record because I’ll make boiled broccoli and people will say, ‘Wow, I’ve never had anything like this, what did you do?’ And I say, ‘I literally just put salt in the water.’ I didn’t really cook as a kid, so I didn’t have that period where you’re figuring out how to cook, I just went straight to the highest standards. So, even though I left restaurants around 12 years ago, it’s been a slow deprogramming for me that I don’t have to make everything at home like it’s five-star restaurant level. I often put that pressure on myself and I know I’ll never meet that standard, so I give up and eat a box of mac and cheese, but I’m realising it would probably be better just to eat a normal salad. It doesn’t have to be restaurant-standard. I think I’m learning to be a little bit less harsh on myself. My mom is Persian, she’s such a great cook and, I think for many immigrants, like all of my family who’d come from Iran, they were •

Food stylist ROSIE REYNOLDS | Stytlist JO HARRIS

y favourite dish is buttermilk roast chicken from my first book Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat (p104). When I have a birthday dinner with friends where we all cook for each other, I almost always ask for that chicken. I think because people think I’m always out eating incredible things, nobody ever just roasts me a chicken, but it’s so comforting. I had the idea for Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat when I was 19 and it came out when I was 37. That’s a very long time, but I always knew I was going to write this book. It’s been amazing

watching people have their own relationship with the book. I can’t believe how many people say to me, ‘It changed the way I cook’, it’s a daily occurrence. Even Chez Panisse, where I learned to cook, use it as a textbook for their cooks. That feels really amazing. I don’t necessarily learn by being told – I have to see something or do it myself. When we made the Netflix show of the book, also called, Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat, I always thought of it as another way to show how to do something. If I had to add a fifth element to the book, it would be sweetness. Yotam Ottolenghi, and a lot of other people said that too! I’ve noticed that as I get older, I do like sweetness more; I add a little honey into my salad dressing, and my favorite vinegar is rice wine vinegar as it has sugar and salt in it. I grew up in San Diego, which is on the border between Mexico and Southern California. Where I grew up there wasn’t a culture of fancy restaurants. There was delicious Mexican food, pizza, Chinese. But then I went to Berkeley university in Northern California, and on the orientation tour they said ‘there’s a very famous restaurant in town called Chez Panisse’. My boyfriend at college always wanted to go there, so we saved up for eight months, we had $220 in a shoe box, then we went and it was was the first time I went to a restaurant that was that nice, where I truly felt like I was being taken care of. That inspired me to write a letter to ask for a waitressing job, and I worked there all through

Shoot directors RACHEL BAYLY, FREDDIE STEWART | Photograph TOM REGESTER

The author of bestselling Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat on battling depression to finish her follow-up, Good Things, plus her most-loved dinner

weekend

Buttermilkmarinated roast chicken , p104

FEBRUARY 2026 goodfood.com 103

weekend

always searching for the taste of home. My mom would send my dad over the border into Mexico where we could get sweet limes and sour oranges – very common Iranian ingredients – or my mom would drive all over Southern California, just to go to a grocery store that had fresh Persian bread. I spent the majority of my childhood in the car, driving around to grocery stores with my mom. After Salt, Acid, Fat, Heat, there was a big depression that followed the high of all that success. I also had some really intense family losses, and every time I’d try to come back to the work, something would pull me away. Over the last few years, one of the landmark experiences has been this very belated grieving of my sister’s death. She died when I was 18 months old and she was three. This has affected my whole life in a way that I hadn’t really realised until recently. There was such grief in our family unit, and I think my life’s mantra became ‘if I can be two kids’ worth of good, maybe that will make everything okay’. I realise now, as an adult, that’s what motivated me in life, and I’ve always felt I must achieve the very biggest and best in everything. To an extent, that crippled me because I felt like I didn’t have it in me to deliver big again like that. Hence a book that took 17 years to write. My uncle’s wife said, ‘What if you just let the second book be you, and understand that’s enough?’ So the whole time while I was writing my latest book, Good Things, I told myself, just finish something. For a long time, I felt like it wouldn’t be anything special, it would be a miracle to just turn something in. And then about a year ago, when we were doing the photo shoot, for the first time I could see it coming to life and it’s become something I’m so proud of. It’s so different from my first book. The British publishers wrote a lovely thing for the cover: “If Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat is a book for the head, Good Things is a book for the heart.” And that’s how I came to think of it, too. I had to find my way back to cooking. And in a way, this book is the story of that. 104 goodfood.com FEBRUARY 2026

Buttermilk-marinated roast chicken The buttermilk and salt work like a brine here, tenderising the meat on multiple levels: the water it contains increases moisture, and the salt and acid it contains disables proteins, preventing them from squeezing liquid from the meat as the bird cooks. As an added bonus, the sugars in the buttermilk will caramelise, contributing to an exquisitely browned skin. While the beauty of roast chicken is that you can serve it anytime, anywhere, my favourite thing to serve alongside it is panzanella which plays the role of starch, salad, and sauce! SERVES 4 PREP 15 mins plus 30 mins brining and resting COOK 1 hr EASY

1.6-1.8kg chicken 2 tbsp Kosher salt or 4 tsp fine sea salt 450ml buttermilk

1 The day before you want to cook the chicken, remove the wingtips by cutting through the first wing joint with poultry shears or a sharp knife. Reserve for stock. Season it generously with salt and let it sit for 30 mins. 2 Stir whichever salt you’re using into the buttermilk to dissolve. Place the chicken in a 4-litre resealable plastic bag and pour in the buttermilk. If the chicken won’t fit in a 4-litre bag, double up two plastic produce bags to prevent leakage and tie the bag with a piece of twine. 3 Seal it, squish the buttermilk all around the chicken, place on a rimmed plate, and chill it. If you’re so inclined, over the next 24 hours you can turn the bag so every part of the chicken gets marinated, but that’s not essential. 4 Take the chicken out of the fridge an hour before you plan to cook it. Heat the oven to 220C, with a rack set in the centre position. 5 Remove the chicken from the plastic bag and scrape off as much buttermilk as you can without being obsessive. Tightly tie together the legs of the chicken with a piece of butcher’s twine. Place the chicken

in a 25cm cast iron ovenproof frying pan or shallow roasting pan. 6 Slide the pan all the way to the back of the oven on the centre rack. Rotate the pan so that the legs are pointing towards the rear left corner and the breast is pointing towards the centre of the oven (the back corners tend to be the hottest spots in the oven, so this orientation protects the breast from overcooking before the legs are done). Pretty quickly you should hear the chicken sizzling. 7 After about 20 minutes, when the chicken starts to brown, reduce the heat to 200C and continue roasting for 10 mins, then move the pan so the legs are facing the back right corner of the oven. 8 Continue cooking for another 30 mins or so, until the chicken is brown all over and the juices run clear when you insert a knife down to the bone between the leg and the thigh. 9 When the chicken is done, remove it to a platter and let it rest for 10 mins before carving and serving. GOOD TO KNOW gluten free PER SERVING 451 kcals • fat 25g • saturates 7g • carbs 2g • sugars 2g • fibre none • protein 54g • salt 2.3g

Recipe extracted from Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat by Samin Nosrat (£36, Canongate) and not retested by us. Samin’s latest book, Good Things is out now (£30, Ebury Press).

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Chocolate heaven Bake Cassie’s favourite rich, fudgy cake, p115

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Learn M A K E T H E M O ST something NEW

O F YO U R F R E E Z E R

Batch-cook heroes

There’s a list of dishes I always batch-cook. Making more doesn’t take extra effort, and with the cost of energy, cooking a larger batch means you’re using the hob or oven just once for two or more meals. See page 21 for some showstopping, batch-cook recipes, then apply these principles to your cooking repertoire — the freezable dishes (below) can also be used as a base for other meals, too.

BEAN-BASED STEWS

While many green vegetables lose their vibrancy in the freezer, beans hold their texture beautifully. We use dried beans for big batch-cook stews, as they’re cheaper and more flavourful. (For more ideas with beans, see page 67.)

WHAT N OT TO FREE ZE Not everything freezes well – these foods are best eaten fresh

• SALAD LEAVES They will simply turn limp and soggy. • COOKED EGGS Dishes like fish pie freeze well, but leave the eggs out – once frozen and defrosted they become unpleasantly rubbery. Raw eggs can’t be frozen in their shells, but egg whites actually whisk better for things like meringues once frozen and defrosted.

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• EMULSIFIED SAUCES Homemade or shop-bought mayonnaise and salad cream will split and become watery when frozen and defrosted. • SOFT CHEESES Ricotta, cottage cheese, soft cheese, mascarpone and goat’s cheese will go watery and crumbly. Mixed through a dish they’re fine, but chunks in pasta bake will release liquid when defrosted.

BOROVENKO - ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES PLUS

CURRIES AND DHALS

Spiced dishes like curries and dhals freeze well and often taste even better after freezing and defrosting as the flavours mellow and come together.

SOUPS

There’s no better way to use up tired vegetables than turning them into soup – and it’s one of the best dishes there is for freezing. Once defrosted, soup can be lifted with croutons made using stale bread, or finished with seeds or nuts for texture.

SAGARMANIS, THITIMON TOYA, INSAN KAMIL AND NADIIA

STEWS & BRAISES

From a humble beef and vegetable casserole to a rich, fork-tender red wine stew, slow-cooked dishes freeze brilliantly. They can be reheated as they are, turned into pie fillings, or spooned into a shallow dish and topped with dumplings or mash for an easy winter warmer.

Make a base version, freeze it, then bulk out with extra vegetables when reheating. Like stews, curries also make excellent pie fillings.

Photographs CHRISTIAN BRIDGWATER/ALAMY/LYULKA,

RAGUS AND PASTA SAUCES

A crowd-pleasing bolognese, shredded meat ragu or a veg-based tomato sauce all freeze well. Defrost and reheat for a quick supper, or use as the base for lasagne or baked pasta.

in the know

Our in-house skills editor Barney Desmazery offers his top tips for saving time and money in the kitchen

Your sub-zero larder The small frozen extras that elevate budget dishes

A good freezer isn’t just for full meals, it’s also a larder for flavour. Harder-to-find aromatics with a big impact, such as lemongrass, curry leaves, lime leaves and fresh fenugreek, freeze brilliantly. They’re well worth buying in bulk from markets or specialist shops, then freezing for later. Chillies, ginger and garlic can go straight into the freezer and be used from frozen, either whole or finely grated.

D O N ’ T B IN IT, FREE ZE IT

Lots of useful things often get thrown away unnecessarily, pop them in the freezer – you’ll thank yourself later

• Hard herbs like rosemary, thyme and bay can be frozen and crumbled straight into dishes. Soft herbs don’t chop well once frozen, but their stalks are full of flavour – basil stalks work well in tomato sauces, coriander stalks in broths, and parsley stalks in stocks. • Hard cheese rinds (parmesan, Grana Padano, pecorino) are ideal for freezing. Add them to sauces, risottos or ragus to add body and a savoury, salty depth. You can also cut frozen rinds into small chunks and microwave them until they puff into

light, aerated cheese crisps – great as a snack or scattered over salads. • Stocks and broths. Dedicate a large freezer bag to roast or raw chicken bones, vegetable trimmings and herb stalks. When it’s half-full, cook everything from frozen, just covered with water, to make a stock. This can be refrozen or turned into a broth by adding flavour boosters such as soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, miso paste or oyster sauce. Simmer gently for about two hours, or pressure-cook for 30-40 minutes.

U PF- FREE

I have a simple mantra: if you can buy it frozen, you can make and freeze it yourself. That means foods we associate with freezer convenience; oven chips, Yorkshire puddings, breaded fish – these can all be made from scratch then kept frozen, giving you control over ingredients and helping you avoid ultra-processed versions.

Stock take

A well-organised freezer will cut down on waste – here’s how to keep it tidy LABEL EVERYTHING CLEARLY Write what it is, when it went into the freezer and how many portions it makes. It turns frozen food into ready meals, not mystery tubs. KEEP A FREEZER LIST A note on your phone or stuck to the freezer door about what you have in stock helps you to avoid double-buying and waste. CREATE CLEAR ZONES Use different shelves for keeping batch-cooked meals, then vegetables and staples, and bread, stocks and sauces. FIRST IN, FIRST OUT Move older items to the front to make sure they get used. FREEZE FLAT Soups, stews and sauces kept flat will stack neatly and defrost faster. REGULAR RESETS Every couple of months, review what you have, clear things out, check dates and reorganise. ENERGY EFFICIENCY A full freezer runs more efficiently, but be careful not to block vents or fans – cold air needs space to circulate.

Why buy frozen fruit and veg? Smart, nutritious and surprisingly sustainable

Frozen fruit and vegetables are often just as good – if not better – than fresh. They’re usually processed at peak ripeness and flash-frozen straightaway, locking in vitamins and antioxidants. Fresh produce is often picked before fully ripe and can lose nutrients during transport and storage. There’s a sustainability angle, too. Frozen food generally has a lower waste footprint, and brands like Pack’d take it further with 80% paper packaging, using a very thin layer of BPA- and PFAS-free plastic that can be recycled with kerbside paper collections. Their organic soffritto base, chopped onions and chopped garlic are especially useful for cutting waste when you don’t need whole vegetables. FEBRUARY 2026 goodfood.com 111

STEAK FRITES

Impress a loved one this Valentine’s Day by cooking this bistro classic to share recipe BARNEY DESMAZERY photograph CHELSEA BLOXSOME

KEEP IT COOL Starting the chips in cold oil means you won’t need a thermometer and there’s no double frying or soggy middles. They gently cook through before crisping up, resulting in golden fries with soft, fluffy centres.

Shoot director RACHEL BAYLY | Stylist JO HARRIS | Food stylist AMY KINNEAR

SEAR-IOUSLY GOOD STEAK Thin-cut sirloins are ideal for home cooks, as they cook fast, develop a deeply caramelised crust and remain tender and juicy without the stress of needing to cook any big bits of internal fat.

BACK TO THE SAUCE Proper green peppercorn sauce provides acidity and richness. And, by preparing it ahead, you’ll have no last-minute stress.

FAST FRITES There’s no soaking, boiling or drying trays of fries – just cut, cover in cold oil and fry. It’s the easiest, most hands-off method for perfect frites at home.

BUTTER BELIEVE IT To finish the steak, a quick baste of butter and thyme at the end adds gloss and that classic French-style flavour to the sauce.

FRESHEN UP A good handful of peppery watercress isn’t just for presentation – it balances the richness of the sauce and chips with its fresh, bright flavour.

PREP AHEAD TWO IN ONE By finishing the sauce in the same pan used to all the residual bits of flavour from the caramelised meat, creating restaurant-worthy richness.

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Prepping the sauce a day or two before serving means you can spend more quality time with your loved one on Valentine’s Day – this showstopping supper will come together in minutes.

in the know

There’s a lot to consider when making steak frites – it’s really three recipes working together to deliver that perfect bistro-style balance of juicy steak, creamy peppercorn sauce and crisp, salty fries. The key is in the timing, which is why this version keeps things as simple as possible, without losing any of that French flair. The sauce base is made ahead, so there’s no last-minute juggling, and the fries are cooked using a method that results in all the crunch and colour you’d want, with far less faff. It’s a restaurantlevel meal designed for home cooking and ideal for date night. SERVES 2 PREP 25 mins plus cooling and resting COOK 50 mins MORE EFFORT ❄ sauce only

2 sirloin steaks (about 200g each) olive oil, for cooking knob of butter a few thyme sprigs (optional) watercress, to serve For the frites about 700g Maris Piper potatoes sunflower or vegetable oil, for deep-frying For the green peppercorn sauce 25g butter 1 long or 2 small shallots, finely chopped 2 tbsp green peppercorns in brine, drained 1 heaped tsp plain flour 50ml brandy 200ml fresh beef stock, or use canned bouillon 150ml double cream 1 tsp Dijon mustard

1 To make the sauce, melt the butter in a small pan over a low heat and cook the shallots gently for 5 mins until soft but not coloured. Stir in the peppercorns and flour, then pour in the brandy, allowing it to bubble for a few minutes until a paste forms. Add the stock and simmer for 10-15 mins until slightly

thickened, then stir in the cream and mustard. Season to taste, then leave to cool. Will keep chilled for up to three days or frozen for three months. Defrost overnight in the fridge, then reheat until piping hot. 2 When ready to cook, season the steaks with salt and pepper, then set aside while you make the frites. Peel the potatoes, then cut into neat chips, about the thickness of a pencil. Rinse, then pat dry using a clean tea towel. Put the chips in a deep saucepan or small wok (they should come no more than a third of the way up the pan) and pour over enough oil to just cover. Put the pan over a medium heat, bring the oil to a simmer and carefully stir the chips using a wooden spoon. Turn up the heat to high so the oil bubbles quickly, and fry the chips, stirring occasionally so they don’t stick, until crisp and golden – the whole process will take 15-20 mins. Scoop the cooked chips out onto a train lined with kitchen paper using a slotted spoon, and set aside. (If you want to save even more time and effort, use an air fryer to cook frozen fries until crisp and golden.) 3 Meanwhile, heat a drizzle of oil in a large, heavy frying pan until very hot and sear the steaks for 1-2 mins on each side until deeply browned and cooked to your liking. Add the butter and thyme to the pan, and baste the steaks for 30 seconds. Transfer to a warm plate to rest for a few minutes. 4 Pour away any excess fat from the pan, then spoon in the peppercorn sauce. Warm for 1-2 mins, scraping up any browned bits from the base. Pour in any resting juices from the steak. Plate each serving, or bring the steaks to the table on a board with bowls of frites and watercress and a small pan of the sauce, or serve on the side for dipping. GOOD TO KNOW folate • fibre • vit c • iron PER SERVING 1078 kcals • fat 65g • saturates 29g • carbs 64g • sugars 3g • fibre 7g • protein 48g • salt 1.1g

FEBRUARY 2026 goodfood.com 113

5 of the best

F RY I N G PA N S A hard-wearing pan is essential for the home cook – discover the highest scorers in our test words NATALIE BASS

Ninja Foodi Zerostick This is a serious pan that’s useful when cooking for a crowd given its generous size and depth. It has a polished stainless steel exterior, sturdy riveted handle and is a manageable weight for the size. It retains heat well, so much so that we had to lower the temperature to stop our dishes from overcooking (making it energy-efficient, too). It’s also metal utensil-safe, dishwasher-safe and oven-safe up to 260C. Available from Ninja (£54.99)

Best value Lakeland Only Pan Inspired by the cult favourite Always Pan, Lakeland’s Only Pan promises to be “the only pan you’ll ever need”, and in many ways it delivers. Its generous depth and curved edges make it versatile, and it’s also oven-safe – though only up to 150C. Extras include a stainless-steel steamer basket, silicone spatula and lid with a built-in spatula rest. The ceramic non-stick coating was also super slick, with pancakes releasing effortlessly. Available from Lakeland (£59.99)

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Best professional

Best for eco credentials

MadeIn ProCoat

GreenPan Evolution

Available in three sizes (20cm, 25cm and 30cm), this non-stick frying pan has a professional feel without being overly heavy. It takes a little while to reach temperature, but heats evenly and is responsive to adjustments. We thought the non-stick was effective; nothing clings and cleaning is quick and easy. The shape is also well suited for tossing ingredients and remains stable on the hob. Available from MadeIn (from £109)

Made from recycled aluminium, this stylish pan has a detachable handle that makes it more compact, so less packaging is needed to transport it. We thought the ceramic non-stick coating performed brilliantly – omelettes and pancakes released effortlessly and were evenly cooked. The only drawback is its weight, which makes tossing a little trickier, but its sturdiness is a sign that this pan is built to last. Available from hartsofstur.com (£70)

Best hybrid HexClad Built with HexClad’s signature hybrid technology, this pan merges stainless steel and non-stick – while the need to season it brings us into cast-iron territory. It’s robust and the handle stayed cool through the entirety of our test, though the cooking surface can take a while to hit the right temperature (HexClad advises sticking to low-to-medium heat). It’s expensive but does come with a lifetime warranty. Available from hexclad.co.uk (from £129)

HOW WE CONDUCT OUR REVIEWS We test and research a range of products in each category to ensure every budget is represented. Products must meet criteria to be shortlisted, including nationwide availability through an online retailer. Shortlists for testing always include a minimum of 10 products. Test matrices have specified testing criteria, including sustainability, energy usage and packaging.

Prices correct at time of printing

Best non-stick

in the know

OL CA AT YO KE E U’ AG LL AI MA N K & E AG AI

You don’t need to follow fashion to make the perfect chocolate cake – our head of food Cassie Best is the queen of bakes and this is her go-to recipe. We urge you to try it!

GOT CRAVINGS YET? I’ve made a lot of chocolate cakes: some good, some dry, some that collapsed in the centre (and were quickly rebranded as ‘sunken’). But, over the years, I’ve settled on this as my favourite. It’s not fancy, but it has a moist, fudgy crumb, rich ganache icing and light mascarpone cream filling. It’s the sort of cake I want to eat forkfuls of straight from the fridge before bed (it’s chilled due to the fresh cream and mascarpone – read on to find out more). Like many good things, it improves with age, over a couple of days, which is as long as cake tends to last in my house. FEBRUARY 2026 goodfood.com 115

Figuring the fat content

Strike a balance Like all good recipes, this cake is about balance: the cocoa is dark and bitter and the sugar sweet, so it needs a bit of acidity and tang for contrast. A lot of recipes lean on buttermilk to provide this, but I rarely have it on hand. Instead, I mix yogurt with a little milk and vinegar to achieve the same result.

I’ve been making a version of this cake for much longer, but I first wrote it down for Good Food over 10 years ago. I needed a cake that was strong enough to stack without cracking or drying out. It had to be moist and mature well in the cake tin for a few days. I knew an American-style, oil-based cake would be key. Butter provides great flavour, but it’s lost against the chocolate. I’m okay with the trade-off if it means a tender crumb. (I’ve tried half oil and half butter, but it doesn’t make a difference.) However, good olive oil (not a mega-expensive one) does boost the flavour – that’s a move borrowed from Ravneet Gill’s LPC (‘lazy person’s cake’!).

Blooming the cocoa It’s not a fancy trick – just stirring the cocoa powder into hot water and leaving it to swell for 10 minutes or so. Cocoa is notorious for sucking up moisture so this step makes a huge difference and also deepens the flavour.

A NOTE ON COCOA POWDER In the US, cocoa is labelled as ‘dutched’, meaning it’s been alkalised to neutralise the natural acidity, resulting in smoother flavour. This also affects the rise; acid reacts with bicarb, and if the acid has been neutralised, the cake needs more of the leavening agent. ‘Dutch’ is standard processing for most cocoa powder now (look for added ‘acidity regulator’ in the UK), so recipes will assume this is what you’re using. It’s worth bearing this in mind if you come across ‘natural’ or ‘unprocessed’ cocoa, as the rise may be surprisingly lacklustre.

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THE ICING ON THE CAKE I like ganache. For adults, I make it with dark chocolate (at least 70 per cent cocoa), but for kids, I swap in some milk chocolate (around 100g). It can double up as the filling, but if the cake is for dessert, I go for whipped, sweetened mascarpone. It does mean the cake needs to chill, though, which slightly masks the chocolate flavour. Remove from the fridge an or two hour before eating. If you want to keep it at room temperature in a tin, use ganache only – this version is also best if you’re adapting it for vegans.

Salt is critical The flavour of chocolate is more pronounced when you add just enough salt to balance the sugar. I wanted to push that further, and a small splash of soy sauce does just that – not enough to detect, but enough to amplify the flavours.

in the know

My go-to chocolate cake recipe Cassie’s favourite chocolate fudge cake SERVES 12 PREP 40 mins plus cooling and chilling COOK 35 mins MORE EFFORT V

60g cocoa powder 150ml olive oil, plus extra for the tins 150g unsweetened natural yogurt (or use soya) 50ml milk (dairy or unsweetened soya) 2 tsp apple cider vinegar 2 eggs (or replace with 1 tbsp flour mixed with 4 tbsp yogurt) 2 tsp soy sauce 200g plain flour 2 tsp baking powder 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda 280g light brown soft sugar a few sea salt flakes (optional) For the ganache 200g dark chocolate (at least 70% cocoa), finely chopped 300ml double cream (or use vegan alternative) For the filling (or use another half-quantity of ganache to fill) 200g mascarpone 100ml double cream 2 tbsp icing sugar 2 tsp vanilla extract

1 Weigh the cocoa powder into a large heatproof bowl. Add 150ml boiling water from the kettle, and stir until smooth. Leave to cool. 2 Heat the oven to 180C/ 160C fan/gas 4, with a shelf in the centre of the oven. Oil two 20cm loose-bottomed cake tins and line the bases with baking parchment. Add the yogurt, milk,

vinegar, eggs, soy sauce, olive oil and 1/4 tsp fine salt to the bloomed cocoa powder, then whisk well until there are no lumps. 3 Combine the flour, baking powder, bicarb and sugar in a separate large bowl. Shake the bowl a few times to bring any lumps of sugar to the surface, and squeeze these between your fingers until the mixture is an even, sandy consistency. Pour in the wet ingredients and combine using an electric whisk until the batter is smooth and loose. 4 Divide the batter between the tins and bake in the centre of the oven for 25 mins until a skewer inserted into the centres comes out clean. If any wet mixture clings to the skewer, bake for another 5 mins, then check again. Leave to cool completely in the tins. Can be made up to two days ahead and kept well wrapped at room temperature. 5 For the ganache, put the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Warm the cream in a small pan over a low heat until steaming, or do this in the microwave. Pour the warm cream over the chocolate and stir until smooth and glossy. Leave to cool while you make the mascarpone filling (or until just spreadable, if you’re skipping the mascarpone. This will take between 20-40 mins, depending on the temperature. If the ganache is too loose, it will drip off; too firm and it’ll be too hard to spread. Stir regularly to ensure it has reached the right consistency). Tip the mascarpone, cream, icing sugar and vanilla into a bowl and whisk to soft peaks.

6 Invert one of the cooled sponges on a serving plate or cake stand, and peel off the parchment. Spoon the mascarpone cream over the centre and spread out to the edges, trying not to disturb the cake crumbs too much. Sandwich the other sponge on top. (Alternatively, sandwich with a quarter of the ganache.) 7 Cover the top and sides of the cake with ganache using a palette knife, then sprinkle over a few sea salt flakes, if you like. Leave to rest for about 1 hr until the ganache has firmed up slightly, or chill for 30 mins before serving. Will keep chilled for up to two days (or, if you’ve made a ganache-only cake, keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to four days). Remove from the fridge 1-2 hrs before serving. PER SERVING 642 kcals • fat 46g • saturates 23g • carbs 47g • sugars 32g • fibre 3g • protein 7g • salt 0.78g

Sign up for our newsletter Our free weekly Substack newsletter Test. Taste. Repeat. is filled with tips, recipes, inspiration, plus great articles from some of the food world’s most respected food writers and cooks. Have it sent direct to your inbox every Tuesday by subscribing at:

goodfoodeveryday.substack.com FEBRUARY 2026 goodfood.com 117

B O O KS

for C O O KS

Our resident reviewer Fiona Forman tries a Swedish classic from The Scandinavian Year by Brontë Aurell, and casts her eye over other new titles recipe photograph PETER CASSIDY

I look forward to going to Ikea as much for the Swedish meatballs and cinnamon buns as I do for the photo frames and cushions – and don’t even get me started on the Daim bar (Sweden’s favourite chocolate bar) almond cake. I’ve tried many recipes to recreate these meatballs and have even tried supermarket Swedish meatballs, but I’ve never found any that come close to the real thing – until now. This is thanks to a new cookbook by Brontë Aurell, owner of Swedish café ScandiKitchen in London, where she recreates childhood food memories for fellow Swedish ex-pats. Brontë says, “I’ve spent decades writing down recipes on paper napkins in my café for second- and third-generation Scandinavians, helping them search for long-lost tastes and recipes and evoking remote childhood memories.” She goes on to add: “Food can be a temporary remedy for homesickness, soothing a longing for a place or person we can’t be with in that moment of time. One bite, and you can be back in the arms of your parents. This book is part traditional, part evolved, and most definitely a collection of recipes that I’ve built on and moved with in my life as a Scandinavian emigrant.” Swedish food focuses on what’s local, seasonal and able to be foraged. It’s wholesome and simple – what natives call “husmanskost” (farmer’s fare). The book is divided into months and, inside, you’ll find plenty of simple, classic dishes, including Swedish rosti with salmon, Danish meatloaf, rye bread, midsummer soup and, of course, cinnamon buns. The meatballs, or köttbullar, are so easy to make. The only bit that’s more effort is getting the food processor out, but that means there’s no detectable onions pieces in them – a win if you’re making them for children who’ll spot a piece of onion a mile off. Served with a mound of buttery mash, creamy sauce and a dash of sweet-sharp lingonberry sauce or jam (I couldn’t find lingonberries in any form, so I substituted for cranberry sauce, which worked a treat), they are up there with the ultimate in comfort food. Try it – I promise you won’t be disappointed. 118 goodfood.com FEBRUARY 2026

Rice by Ping Coombes (£26, Murdoch Books) Former MasterChef champion Ping Coombes teaches us everything about this staple grain, from cooking it properly (no draining please!) to reheating and storing it safely. And, there are 100 recipes from Malaysia and beyond, including crispy chilli beef, baked honey & soy chicken rice and kimchi fried rice.

Donal’s Real Time Recipes (£25, Yellow Kite) I’m a big fan of food writer Donal Skehan’s new book – there’s no marinating or complicated cooking methods, and all the recipes can be made in 30 minutes or less. Though they’re speedy, they certainly don’t skimp on flavour. From smashed sausage pasta to chicken katsu in a flash, this is weeknight cooking at its best.

in the know

Brontë ’s recipe Swedish meatballs Remember that homemade köttbullar are never the same as processed ones you buy (or eat at that very well-known furniture store), and while there is a time and place for buying meatballs, making them yourself is worth it. Brontë SERVES 4 PREP 15 mins plus resting COOK 30 mins EASY

butter and oil, for frying 1 onion, finely chopped or grated 250g pork mince 250g beef mince (minimum 15% fat) 30g breadcrumbs 50ml cream 100ml meat stock 1 egg 1 tsp ground allspice ½-1 tsp ground pepper dash of Worcestershire or soy sauce mashed potato, to serve For the cream gravy (gräddsås) 1 tbsp plain flour 300ml meat stock glug of single cream For the stirred lingonberries (rårörda lingon) 100g caster or granulated sugar 250g frozen lingonberries (available in speciality food stores or online)

1 Melt some butter in a frying pan and fry the grated or chopped onion until caramelised. 2 Put the meats in a food processor, season with salt and mix for a minute. In a separate bowl, mix the breadcrumbs, cream, stock and egg together. 3 Add the egg mixture to the meat, then the onion and pulse until combined (don’t overmix, but do ensure no larger onion bits remain). The mixture should be sticky, but mouldable. Leave the mixture to rest for 20-25 mins before using. 4 Heat a small knob of butter or drizzle of oil in a frying pan. Shape one small meatball, fry until cooked through, then taste. Adjust the seasoning as neceded, and fry another meatball to test it until you get it just right. 5 Shape the rest of the mixture into individual meatballs using your hands – it helps if your hands are slightly wet. Each meatball should be around 2.5cm in diameter, or

larger if you haven’t got time. This mixture will make around 30 meatballs. 6 Melt a knob of butter in the same frying pan with a dash of oil and add a few meatballs – make sure there’s plenty of room for you to swirl the pan to help turn them, so they get a uniform round shape and do not stick. You’ll probably need to cook them in several batches. Cooking time is usually around 5 mins per batch. Keep warm in a low oven until needed. 7 When the meatballs are done and in the oven, keep the pan over a medium heat to make the gravy. Ensure you have enough fat in there; if not, add a little more butter to the pan. Add the tablespoon of flour and whisk, then add a splash of stock and whisk again as you bring it to

the boil. Keep adding stock until you have a creamy gravy, then add a good glug of cream and season well. The gravy should be light brown in colour. 8 To prepare the lingonberries, simply add the sugar to the frozen berries and stir. Leave for a while, then stir again until the sugar dissolves and the berries have defrosted. Leftovers will keep chilled for up to a few days. 9 Serve the meatballs with the mashed potatoes, gravy, lingonberries and, if you wish, some quick pickled cucumbers. GOOD TO KNOW 1 of 5-a-day PER SERVING 558 kcals • fat 31g • saturates 13g • carbs 38g • sugars 28g • fibre 2g • protein 30g • salt 0.59g

Brontë’s tip If you can’t find frozen lingonberries, serve with lingonberry jam. Recipe extracted from The Scandinavian Year by Brontë Aurell (£25, Ryland Peters & Small). Photographs by Peter Cassidy.

FEBRUARY 2026 goodfood.com 119

HOLIDAYS

The ultimate collection of classic escorted adventures Experience Europe’s finest on one of eight amazing holidays

Riviera Travel works hard to deliver effortless adventures on escorted tours across Europe’s diverse landscapes and cultures. The continent is rich in history, art, architecture and culinary traditions. You could be sipping rosé in Provence, exploring the Italian Lakes on a walking holiday, learning about ancient Greece or uncovering modern history in Germany. With Riviera Travel, you can choose from an extensive selection of holidays, including Classic tours or smaller group Signature tours with additional special experiences.

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Eight great tours

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120 goodfood.com FEBRUARY 2026

Classical Spain – Seville, Córdoba & Granada

Lake Garda, Venice & Verona

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Andalucía is one of the most beautiful corners of Europe, where travellers are welcomed as honoured guests. Immortalised by the writings of Ernest Hemingway and beloved by Orson Welles, it is the Spain of Carmen, Figaro and flamenco, rich with the legacies of the Moors and Romans.

A wonderful blend of some of the finest sights in northern Italy. Firstly, Lake Garda, with the snow-capped Dolomite mountains in the background; then Venice, a unique city full of cultural delights; and lastly, Verona, one of the most romantic cities you will find.

Experiences and/or extensions ● Return flights plus transfers ● Six nights in three-star

superior and four-star accommodation ● Daily breakfast ● Two guided tours, including

beautiful Seville and the historic Mezquita in Córdoba ● Tastes and traditions of tapas in Seville ● Four visits, including Granada and the Alhambra Palace Optional: Enjoy a flamenco show in Seville, from £33pp

Experiences and/or extensions

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Malta Uncovered Eight days /seven nights, £1,089pp* March-November 2026 Discover a different side of Malta, with dramatic coastlines, sheer cliffs, vast caverns and striking rock formations. Explore Valletta’s 16th-century fortifications, Mdina’s ancient catacombs, opulent cathedrals and some of the oldest temples in the world. Combined with charming towns, stunning scenery and welcoming locals, Malta offers an unforgettable experience.

Experiences and/or extensions ● Return flights plus transfers ● Seven nights in four-star

to four-star superior accommodation ● Daily breakfast and dinner ● Three expertly guided tours,

including Valletta and Città Vittoriosa ● Six visits, including the Malta Experience, Ġgantija, Hagar Qim, Mdina, Rabat and Marsaxlokk ● A tasting of Maltese wines at a prestigious local vineyard

TO REQUEST A BROCHURE call 01283 742398 quoting ‘Good Food’ or to book, visit rivieratravel.co.uk/gfd TERMS & CONDITIONS *Prices are based on two people sharing and are correct at time of printing. Single supplements may apply. **Terms and conditions apply, see online for more details. Holidays are operated by and subject to booking conditions of Riviera Travel, ABTA V4744 ATOL 3430 protected. Subject to availability. Additional entrance costs may apply. Images used in conjunction with Riviera Travel.

FEBRUARY 2026 goodfood.com 121

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in the know

recommends

The best food and drink, tried and tested words LUCY ROXBURGH

For chocolate lovers

MORRISONS CHUNK BELGIAN CHOCOLATE WITH PRETZELS, CARAMEL & NOUGAT This is our favourite flavour from Morrisons’ new range of chunky chocolate bars. Pretzel bits give a salty edge. £2.50, Morrisons

For a gut health boost

JAMU SODAS RASPBERRY & HIBISCUS If you like a shrub, try this. Apple cider vinegar gives this fruity, naturally gut-friendly soda a pleasant tangy finish. £29.99 for 12 cans, wearejamu.co.uk

For a warming curry

AAGRAH BUTTER CHICKEN COOKING TARKA PASTE Use this paste as a starting point for the easiest butter chicken. £3.75/270g, Tesco and aagrahfoods.com

For dressing and drizzling

TWO&ONE OLIVE OIL This olive oil celebrates the picual olive in three distinct harvest styles, all picked at just the right moment in the foothills of Spain’s Sierra Morena. Choose Verde for a bright, grassy lift, Envero for a rounded floral-nutty balance or Negra when you want something rich and buttery. 250ml, from £12, twoandoneoliveoil.co.uk

For a vibrant base

Prices correct at time of printing

MERCHANT GOURMET WITH SABRINA GHAYOUR PERSIAN STYLE RICE AND LENTILS Queen of big flavours Sabrina Ghayour has created easy-to-use spiced grain and rice pouches to lift dishes in minutes. This one has warming notes of cumin and cinnamon and is studded with sultanas. £2.50/250g, Waitrose and Sainsburys

For your valentine

THE AUDREY’S HEART MILK & DARK These beautifully presented chocolates make the perfect elegant gift, featuring fruity fondants, smooth ganache and caramels. £9.95, audreyschocolates.co.uk

For nut butter fans

For an award-winning beer

JUNGLE BUTTER ALMOND GINGER NUT CRUNCH

FIREBRAND BREWING CO. SHOREBREAK HAZY PALE

Inspired by ginger nut biscuits, chunks of crystallised ginger are mixed into roasted almond butter. Try swirled into porridge. £6.50/200g, jungle-butter.com

Voted ‘Best Non-Alcoholic Pale Ale in Britain’, this Cornish craft beer is bursting with tropical hop flavour. £2.70/440ml, firebrandbrewing.co.uk

FEBRUARY 2026 goodfood.com 123

p u s g n i h t g n i Shak FOR THE BETTER

Discover the small businesses committed to delivering quality produce while also considering the environmental impact words MALLIKA BASU

Mallika Basu is a food writer, presenter and adviser. She’s the author of In Good Taste: What Shapes What We Eat and Drink – and Why It Matters, and two cookbooks. @mallikabasu_

124 goodfood.com FEBRUARY 2026

aking ethical and sustainable choices as part of our busy everyday lives can feel like a tall order. Between decoding green claims, squinting at fine print during a grocery dash and trying to track down the best producers, it’s often more effort than we can spare. And, let’s be honest: sometimes it costs more, too. Is it worth the extra time and money? That’s why we’re shining a light on brands and businesses that are making it easier for us to do better without sacrificing taste or convenience. These quiet disruptors are shaking things up in thoughtful ways, tackling the everyday challenges of eating well while making a positive impact for people and the planet.

planet-friendlier

Disco Scallops Until recently, 95 to 98 per cent of scallops landed into the UK – some 100 million – were caught using dredges, heavy devices that plough into the seabed, damaging marine life. A team of scientists, restaurateurs, experts and seafood lovers accidentally uncovered a fuel-efficient way to catch scallops that bypasses this process. The group puts brightly lit crab and oyster pots on the sea floor instead, attracting scallops that lift themselves off and swim (or dance?) towards them. Lee Cash, Dr Rob Enever, Rachel Walker and Mike Berthet are now busy embedding their planet-friendlier method into the livelihoods of struggling British fishermen, who have seen increasing pressures on their jobs thanks to Brexit, rising costs and collapsing crab and lobster stocks. Their efforts to set a new standard for how shellfish are caught, sold and savoured won them a BBC Food and Farming Award for Food Innovation. Chefs are signing up, and the scallops and disco pots are available online (find the scallops at therockfish.co.uk). For the discerning seafood lover, the scallops are an easy win that benefits the sea and the people who depend on it. discoscallops.co.uk

Photographs ED OVENDEN, JAMIE LAU

Wylde Market It’s never been easier to get groceries delivered to your door. But, seasonal, ethically produced food direct at source is still harder to get than it should be. Smallscale farmers and fishermen often lack time or reach to sell beyond their postcodes. Wylde Market is trying to change that – the online farmers’ market is connecting independent UK producers with customers across the country. From regenerative meat and organic veg to fresh fish, everything is sourced with transparency, and delivered in a box on Fridays. For producers, Wylde offers something radical: control over how they reach shoppers. They decide what to sell, when and at what price, with no middlemen or pressures. For home cooks, it’s a

way to shop that supports better food systems without overhauling the routine and discover new ingredients, like hogget (lamb aged between one and two years that’s more sustainable and flavourful than spring lamb).

There are over 100 producers and more than 1,000 products available, and sales have doubled year on year. With customers dotted around the country, it offers a new way to imagine a farmers’ market. wylde.market

FEBRUARY 2026 goodfood.com 125

Photographs JOSEPH SPENCER

Kulcher Kitchen Eating more plant-based food is one of the most powerful shifts we can make to reduce pressure on land, water and climate. But, it can be hard to find meals that reflect global food culture. Kulcher, founded by Kyle Parchment, reimagines heritage dishes – Indian butter chicken, Caribbean jerk, Chettinad lamb – through a vegan lens. Kyle created the range using family recipes and dishes he learned while travelling. The meals are balanced and made with alternative proteins like mushrooms, tempeh, lentils and pulses. This isn’t meat substitutes or ultra-processed swaps: it’s whole foods, bold seasoning and a chef’s hand that honours the flavour of traditional dishes. For Parchment, the aim is to bring cultural care and real food to ready-meals. Kulcher is stocked in Tesco and Ocado, reaching those who might not otherwise seek out plant-based or global options. That’s the disruption: normalising plant-based meals not as a special diet, but simply good food. kulcher.co.uk 126 goodfood.com FEBRUARY 2026

Northern Pasta Co What if your next pasta meal could support British grain farmers and nature, while still delivering that perfect al dente bite? That’s the quiet revolution behind Northern Pasta Co. Founder Imogen Royall first encountered ancient British grains while working in a bakery. Struck by their flavour and potential on grocery shelves, she teamed up with her husband Matt Kenyon to create smallbatch pasta that’s as sustainable as it is satisfying. The pasta is made from regeneratively grown grains, which reduces artificial inputs and nurtures soil and nature using traditional Italian methods. They’re made

primarily with white spelt, a hardy, nutty relative to modern wheat, but with higher protein content. The company has partnered with Wildfarmed to support regenerative farmers and local millers, who turn the grain into flour. The pasta is then packaged in recyclable paper bags, ready for recycling when empty. There are eight pasta shapes, including radiatori (small, squat pasta named for its resemblence to radiators) and gigli, which has a pretty flower shape that’s inspired by lilies. Both are excellent with thick, creamy pasta sauces, as they hold them well. And, if it helps to know, Italians are fans of this brand, too! northernpasta.co.uk

planet-friendlier

Honest Bean Co

Sea Sisters Britain is an island nation, yet our fish-eating habits are out of sync with our blue food. Most of the seafood we eat is imported, while most of what we catch is sent abroad. We rely heavily on just five species, overlooking the wide variety of native fish and shellfish from our own waters. Sea Sisters aims to change that. Founded by Charlotte Dawe and chef Angus Cowen, the craft cannery works with low-impact fisheries and aquaculture to preserve seafood that’s often ignored, like mussels, cuttlefish and whelks. Whelks are edible sea snails that are nutrient-dense, high in protein, iodine and B12, and a delicacy in Korean and Japanese cuisine. But, in the UK, they’re unusual on our plates – around 90 per cent of our catch is exported. Sea Sisters makes them easier to try at home, offering cans that are recyclable for a product that is flavourful and thoughtful, made with ingredients like grass-fed butter and extra virgin olive oil.

Beyond that, Sea Sisters paired Norfolk-harvested whelks with kimchi as part of a collaboration with fisherwoman Ashley Mullenger for International Women’s Day. Women have always played a role in British fishing, often behind the scenes. Sea Sisters highlights their stories alongside the food, inviting us to enjoy seafood more locally and thoughtfully. seasisters.co.uk

Fava beans – smaller, mature varieties of broad beans – have been grown in the UK since the Iron Age, and are the only dried bean produced in any significant volume here. Yet, most are shipped overseas or used as animal feed — a missed opportunity, especially for a crop that’s a nutritional powerhouse that fixes nitrogen into the soil and travels small distance from field to fork. Enter Adam and Zoe Palmer-Oates, sibling farmers from Yorkshire who wanted to get Britain snacking on favas. The Honest Bean Co was born from their mission to champion this ancient bean in a format and taste that’s easy to love. They grow some of the beans themselves, while the rest are supplied by other UK farmers through Hodmedod’s. They started by making dips, but, during lockdown, they pivoted to ambient snacking. Lightly roasted and naturally flavoured, their crunchy bean snacks are packed with protein, fibre, vitamins and minerals. From salt and vinegar crunch to smoky paprika, they’ve found a new way for us to enjoy them alongside our favourite treats, on the go or while at work. honestbean.co.uk • Read more about the power of beans on page 67.

Ecosia You can be climate active while you browse by using Ecosia as your search engine — 80% of Ecosia profits go towards planting trees including helping coffee and cocoa farmers produce more sustainable crops. ecosia.org

FEBRUARY 2026 goodfood.com 127

planet-friendlier

Climate heroes Keeping neighbours fed while cutting waste Mark Scott is the catering manager at Pendleside Hospice which feeds over 100 people around Burnley with hot meals made using food otherwise destined for landfill

uring the Covid-19 pandemic we were faced with the dilemma of whether to furlough our chefs, so we came up with the idea of a community meals service. We now provide the only hot meals-onwheels service in East Lancashire. Every meal is made fresh each day. From the oven, they’re specially packaged and delivered within an hour so it stays hot for customers to eat. The deliveries are made by a team of 53 volunteer drivers, 365 days of the year, covering a 20-mile radius around the Burnley area. We take on apprentices from the local college, too, to give young people who find school challenging the chance to learn kitchen skills. We have around 100 customers and deliver 60-70 meals per day. Our customers are referred to us usually by a loved one who lives far away. People choose us because it’s more than meals on wheels, we provide a daily wellbeing check. For many of our customers, we might be the only person they see all day. We get to know them and we can get them help if something isn’t quite right. Like recently, when one of our drivers, Allan, noticed a regular was unwell. Within an hour the Hospice at Home team had arranged a GP visit, coordinated district nurse input, and provided 24/7 care – a powerful example of joined-up, compassionate community care. We get our ingredients from Fareshare, which redistributes surplus food otherwise destined for landfill. It’s not all wonky veg, it’s often high-end products that retailers don’t have cold storage space for. Working with Fareshare has saved the hospice £25,000 this

If you live alone, cook ing for one can be hard — consider these options:

year alone. The hospice relies on fundraising to stay open, so every penny saved is vital. Setting up a meals-on-wheels service is an amazing thing to do. There are a lot of people out there who are lonely and vulnerable – and providing a hot meal and a moment of social interaction is massive for that person.

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• Join a local cooking group. Look online or ask at your com munit y centre if they know of any near you. Pendleside Hospice run a cooking group, to help people liv ing alone aft er a bereavement. • Batch cooking and freezing individual portions helps to avoid waste. Label containers, or keep a no te on your phone of what is in your freeze r. • Use up your odds an d ends by ma king a homemade soup. Seaso na l root vegetables are perfect for this. • Use storecupboard ing redients to add variet y. Tr y adding can ned pulses and lentils for an added veg eta ria n, nutritiona l boost. At Pendleside Ho spice, the mealson-wheels sta ff favourit e is a tomato, red pepper and lentil soup. • Ask for suppor t if you need it. For more information

• Find out more about Pendleside Hospice, meals-on-wheels ser vic e at: pendleside. org.uk/meals-on-wheels. Or email: mealsonwheels@pendle side.org.uk • Find out how Fa resha re redistribute sur plus food to charitie s who turn it into meals at: fareshare.org.u k

HOLIDAYS

Discover India’s heritage or Italy’s lakes

Save up to £75pp*

Experience rich cultures, iconic landmarks and stunning scenery Travel Department is an experienced guided holiday specialist that has been creating group travel experiences since 1996. It creates effortless group travel with flights, accommodation, transfers and expertly planned itineraries. Offering over 140 destinations worldwide, its holidays combine must-see highlights with local insights, led by passionate, knowledgeable guides.

India’s Golden Triangle

Lake Garda, Venice and Verona

10 nights, including flights, transfers and accommodation Prices from £1,824pp using discount code GF75 March-November 2026

Seven nights, including flights, transfers and accommodation Prices from £1,529pp using discount code GF50 April-October 2026

Explore India’s Golden Triangle – Delhi, Agra and Jaipur – discovering iconic palaces, monuments, mosques and vibrant city life. Experience a rickshaw ride through Old Delhi’s bustling streets and visit the Taj Mahal and Jaipur’s Amber Fort. With time to explore at your own pace, enjoy India’s rich architecture, delicious cuisine, warm hospitality and captivating culture.

Visit Lake Garda and immerse yourself in an Italian holiday full of relaxation, beauty and culture amid a stunning backdrop. While Lake Garda is renowned for its magnificent landscape, it also has a rich culture and intriguing past. History enthusiasts will enjoy the medieval villages that dot the lake, and there are attractions of historical and cultural significance to visit in the region.

Price includes ● Flights, transfers, accommodation and fully guided tours

Price includes

● Explore Old and New Delhi with two half-day city tours and

● Explore Lake Garda

a traditional rickshaw ride through Old Delhi ● Savour the flavours of India with a cooking and bread-making demonstration of authentic Indian cuisine ● Watch the sunset over the Taj Mahal on a visit to the most famous monument to romance in the world ● Relax with leisure time to sightsee at your own pace, with helpful tips from your expert guide ● Includes nine nights on a half-board basis (one dinner is included during the cooking demonstration in Jaipur)

● Stay in the lakeside town of Riva del Garda, Limone or Torbole ● Enjoy incredible scenery on a full-day boar tour of the lake or

a full-day trip to the medieval city of Bolzano ● Uncover ancient canals and beautiful architecture on a guided

day trip to Venice ● Visit the real-life setting of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet on

an excursion to the medieval city of Verona ● Relax, with plenty of free time to swim, shop or explore the

charming towns around Lake Garda ● Flights, transfers and accommodation are all included, as well

as fully guided tours

TO SEE THE FULL RANGE OF HOLIDAYS AVAILABLE VISIT traveldepartment.co.uk/gf OR TO BOOK, CALL 0208 125 3827 quoting ‘Good Food ’ TERMS & CONDITIONS *Offer valid for all new bookings only. Offer is £75pp off holidays of eight nights or more using code GF75, £50pp off seven-night holidays using code GF50 and £25pp off holidays of six nights or less using code GF25. Flights available from London, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Solo holidays available on some tours. Offers are non-transferable, subject to availability, cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer and have no cash value. All deposits are non-refundable.

FEBRUARY 2026 goodfood.com 129

Into the wild

One for the bucket list – get close to nature by day and dine under the stars at night on a luxury eco-safari in southern Africa words LILY BARCLAY

emote, responsible and offering an adventure of a lifetime, Wilderness’ camps at Toka Leya in Zambia and Linkwasha and Ruckomechi in Zimbabwe offer a rare kind of travel: up-close encounters with some of Africa’s most elusive wildlife. Along with the warmest hospitality and exceptional scenery, you’ll find encounters with nature at every turn. Set on riverbanks and within vast, unfenced national parks, each camp is unique, with its own expert guides. Built around the wildlife, the camps allow animals to move freely and the landscapes to remain untouched – it’s not unusual to spot giraffes, baboons, hippos or passing elephants from the deck of your safari tent. Days are shaped by the best opportunities to see wildlife, and your guide will wake you as the sun rises to spot animals at their most active before they shelter from the heat. Between your morning and evening safari, you can enjoy the camps’ hospitality: from cooling dips in a pool overlooking the great Zambezi to visits to local villages or fishing trips. There’s 130 goodfood.com FEBRUARY 2026

rarely a moment that doesn’t feel like a unique and memorable experience.

Stay At Toka Leya, swinging chairs and bathtubs outside invite you into the outdoor space, while treetop pathways link the camp to the restaurant area so as not to disturb the parade of wildlife. Set on the edge of the Great Zambezi River, it’s just a short drive from Victoria Falls, one of the seven natural wonders of the world. River cruises are a must here and you’ll sail past meandering hippos, crocs and elephants having their evening bath. Three of the suites here offer family units with an extra bedroom. In Zimbabwe’s Hwange National Park, Linkwasha offers a more contemporary take on safari living. Pale woods, canvas and glass create a modern, safari-chic aesthetic, with suites positioned around a busy waterhole where giraffes, elephants and antelope gather throughout the day. There is a sunken viewing hide here for incredibly close-up photographs of the wildlife.

travel Further south, Ruckomechi, set within Mana Pools National Park, feels timeless and explorer-chic. Lantern-lit decks glow after dark and elephants frequently wander through camp. You can also book a night on their outdoor bed platform – perfectly safe, yet completely open to the night sky – where you fall asleep beneath the Milky Way and wake to hyenas laughing at dawn.

Eat

Photographs TEAGAN CUNNIFFE

Food is an integral part of the Wilderness experience, the emphasis is on traditional menus that celebrate the bold, earthy flavours and locally sourced ingredients. Think flame-grilled bream from the Zambezi, slow-cooked game stews, vibrant salads and homemade cakes and sandwiches before every afternoon game drive. Mornings begin gently with fresh fruit, wood-fired breads and eggs cooked to order before heading out on your first activity of the day. You’ll return to a lavish brunch with the menu changing daily, but the generous options mean that everyone is well looked after. Evening menus are three-course and served under the stars, there’s also an opportunity to sit with your guide on the last night for a relaxed opportunity to hear more about their adventures. Dinner ends with gin and tonics around the campfire and drinks from the bar.

Sail past hippos, crocs and elephants having their evening bath

The camps allow animals to move freely and the landscapes to remain untouched

Experience The guiding across all three camps is exceptional – their knowledge of the surrounding area and wildlife is unrivalled. Days follow a natural rhythm: early-morning drives when animals are most active, lazy afternoons for swimming, spa treatments or simply watching the bush breathe, followed by a final outing as the air cools.

Planet Sustainability underpins everything Wilderness does. Camps are solarpowered, toiletries are eco-friendly and ingredients are sourced locally wherever possible. Just as importantly,

Wilderness works closely with surrounding communities, supporting conservation initiatives that protect both wildlife and livelihoods – ensuring these extraordinary places endure for generations to come.

HOW TO DO IT Toka Leya is accessed via Livingstone Airport in Zambia, while Linkwasha and Ruckomechi are closest to Victoria Falls or Harare. From £613 per person, per night including transfers, meals, drinks, and game drives or river excursions. wildernessdestionations.com

FEBRUARY 2026 goodfood.com 131

3 ALL-INCLUSIVE

European getaways All-inclusives have had a luxurious makeover – think champagne on tap, Michelin-starred food and top kids’ clubs words SARAH BARRELL & GOOD FOOD TEAM

Explore picturesque Andalusia

Andalusia, Spain The first foray for the Ikos brand outside Greece has raised the bar for Spanish all-inclusives, offering menus by Michelin-starred chefs, premium drinks and activities like paddle-boarding, yoga and golf. There’s massage for ‘deluxe’ guests in the spa, where you’ll find a lovely hammam, Anne Semonin treatments and an adults-only pool. There are five other pools, around which this low-rise white-washed hotel is clustered in 21 acres of gardens along the beach. Kids’ clubs include tailored offerings for all ages, from four months to 17 years. The food available spreads across nine restaurants, with menus drawing from cuisines across the Med and Asia, accompanied by a 300-strong wine list. Then there’s the ‘dine out’ programme where dining at a selection of restaurants in Marbella and Estepona comes at no extra charge. Just an hour from Malaga airport, and a short bike ride along the promenade to Estepona, this is a well-located resort should you decide to step beyond its luxurious confines. Borrow one of the electric Teslas (complimentary for a day) to explore nearby Marbella or the hill town of Rhonda. Rooms and rates Cool contemporary décor, whites and neutrals characterise rooms, which have complementary mini bars and Nespresso machines.

132 goodfood.com FEBRUARY 2026

There are family rooms and suites sleeping four to six and some doubles are interconnecting. From £343 per night based on two people sharing a double room. Book via booking.com, British Airways, Tui or Ikos Resorts

Val d’Isère, France The French resort brand Club Med elevated its all-inclusive offering to include the Exclusive Collection, opened in 2023 in the Dominican Republic, Mauritius, Cefalù in Italy, the Seychelles and Val d’Isère in France. Here, all-inclusive thrills include champagne at 6pm, breakfast in your room, poolside service and private pool suites in some destinations. Along with offering an exceptional ski experience in winter, the Val d’Isère resort is a surprisingly good bet for a summer break. Free from Europe’s coastal humidity and peak season crowds, this Alpine escape has a sizeable spa with an outdoor whirlpool, indoor pool plus pristine lakes to swim in, along with biking and hiking trails to enjoy the meadows and peaks of the surrounding Vanoise National Park. Children from four to 17 years old have

Photographs ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES PLUS

orget beige buffets and limited drinks menus, today’s all-inclusive resort is aimed at an ever-younger, travelsavvy crowd who demand boutique design and the comfort of knowing that all those craft cocktails have been factored into the headline price. Premium wines and chef-led tasting menus are now deemed a must-have for any self-respecting all-inclusive resort, while some partner with local restaurants to allow the culinarily curious to explore beyond the hotel compound.

travel

From far left: chic alpine resort Val d’Isère; enjoy a Mediterranean breakfast buffet at TRS Ibiza

This Alpine escape has a sizeable spa with an outdoor whirlpool plus pristine lakes to swim in

Ibiza complimentary club access where activities include mountain biking, treetop ziplines and camping under the stars. Food is French and effortlessly high quality. Dine at the resort’s two restaurants and two bars, focused on local ingredients from the Savoie region and nearby Italy, with a wide selection of wines available. Or step out to learn about local cheese-making at nearby Ferme de l’Adroit. Rooms and rates Replete with wood and warm colours, rooms have balconies with mountain views, slippers and robes. Family rooms and suites sleep three to five people. A week’s stay in summer starts from £2,812 for a deluxe room with balcony sleeping two; under-fours stay free. Book through Club Med

One for adults only, this is the place where grown-up denizens of Ibiza’s party scene come to kick back and be waited on hand and foot. Set right in San Antonio, the TRS resort launched in 2022 has upped the game for the island’s all-inclusives. Signature Level, the top tier all-inclusive category, allows guests the option to dine out in select Ibizan agroturismos – hip beach clubs and sushi bars island-wide – along with giving them access to events at such institutions as UshuaÏa Ibiza Beach Hotel and HÏ Ibiza. It also gives this category of guest their own sun lounger and hammock spot in resort VIP areas, free spa access, a complimentary mini bar restock every three days and premium beverages, plus early check-in and late check-out. On site, restaurants range from El Gaucho serving Latino-Iberian

grills, the Ibizan-style Helios with a classic beach club-style menu of salads and small plates, to the elegant all-day dining spot Capricho, with its sun-dappled terrace and show kitchens serving globally-inspired dishes. Cava, Campari and cocktails are permanently free-flowing throughout. DJs play discreet sets around the infinity pools, while the eighth-floor rooftop pool and cocktail bar is for enjoying sundowners and more laid-back live music. Rooms and rates There are 378 rooms (53 of which are dedicated to Signature guests) from standard to deluxe, plus swim-up suites. Décor is all blonde wood and whites with splashes of colour from contemporary Spanish artists. Espresso machines and full-sized toiletries are included. Double rooms from £311. Book at booking.com, Tui, British Airways or TRS Ibiza Hotel

Above left: Fine dining at Ikos Andalusia. Above: Ibiza’s picturesque Cala d’Hort beach

FEBRUARY 2026 goodfood.com 133

HOLIDAYS

Discover Norway on a cruise with James Martin From

Take in Norway’s fjords, remote towns and fascinating history on £2,516pp* a cruise crossing the Arctic Circle in search of the Northern Lights An expedition team will join you on your voyage, accompanying you on excursions and hosting a series of lectures on board. You’ll have plenty of time in port to explore Norway’s beautiful destinations on optional curated excursions.

What’s included ● Eight-night cruise on board MS Trollfjord, flagship

of the Signature Voyage ● All meals and an all-inclusive drinks package,

including a wide selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages ● Exclusive events with James Martin: a talk and Q&A session, plus an on-board cooking demonstration ● Ports of call: Tromsø, Honningsvåg, Alta, Narvik, Åndalsnes, Bergen, Kristiansand and Oslo ● An enhanced on-board activities programme and in-depth lecture series by a larger Expedition Team ● Return flights from London (regional flights may be available on request) and transfers ● No solo supplement* ● 5% off selected cabins*

TO BOOK Call 03330 298 702 and quote GOOD FOOD OR FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT gf.com/norwaymartin TERMS & CONDITIONS *From price is per person, based on two people sharing a polar inside cabin, subject to availability. Price and itinerary correct at time of printing but subject to change. No single supplement is subject to availability. 5% discount is subject to availability and applicable to Arctic Superior (U2D grade) Cabins only. Deposit: 30%. Local charges such as tourist tax may apply. Offers are not valid in conjunction with any other offers or promotions. In the case of unforeseen circumstances, expert(s) may be substituted, and any expert-led events are subject to change. Expert(s) will not join you for your full trip duration unless otherwise stated. Travel insurance is not included and should be taken out at time of booking. Images used may not reflect your actual tour experience. Tour is operated by and subject to the booking conditions of Hurtigruten (ABTA-bonded and all trips are ATOL-protected) and TS Travel Ltd (ATOL bonded).

134 goodfood.com FEBRUARY 2026

Photographs KRISTIAN DALE, GETTY IMAGES

Norway is known for its dramatic fjords, remote islands and charming towns, and you’ll discover it all on this week-long cruise that crosses the Arctic Circle. From Tromsø, the North Cape, Alta’s striking Northern Lights Cathedral, scenic Åndalsnes and historic Bergen, with its UNESCO-listed city centre. There will also be an opportunity to dive into Narvik’s intriguing history and Kristiansand’s 20th-century military fortress, Batterie Vara. The highlight of your cruise will be the company of top chef and TV presenter James Martin. James will be joining you on board, where he’ll host an exclusive cooking demonstration, give a talk on his life and career, and host a Q&A session. As you travel northbound, you’ll cross the Arctic Circle and marvel at the breathtaking views of fjords, islands and charming towns. As your ship crosses the Arctic Circle, you may witness the Aurora Borealis and its vibrant, dancing colours in the sky.

travel

FONDUE Dunk bread into fondue – opt for a moitié-moitié (half-andhalf) of gruyère and vacherin fribourgeois, a semi-hard cheese – infused with wine and garlic. Pair with white wine, then chase with schnapps or tea.

PAPET VAUDOIS This mash of leek and potato stewed for hours is earthy, oniony and a perfect bed for fat sausage, unique to Vaud (saucisson Vaudois). It’s the region’s star dish, and its crimson sausage, loosely stuffed and plump, is a must.

RÖSTI VALAISANNE Thinly grated, pan-fried potatoes, or rösti, is one of Switzerland’s iconic dishes. Indulge in rösti Valaisanne – rösti topped with crispy bacon, fried egg and raclette, served with gherkins and pickled pearl onions.

RACLETTE Step into most Swiss hillside haunts, and the aroma of pungent melted raclette will greet you. Hailing from Valais, raclette is traditionally grilled slowly over a fire, then sliced off in layers to blanket boiled potatoes, pickles and onions.

what to eat in

ALOHA-17 / E+, WESTEND61 / GETTY, ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS

Photographs EISING STUDIO / STOCKFOOD, STUDER-T. VERONIKA / MOMENT,

Switzerland

5 POLENTA Italian-speaking Ticino has been stirring polenta for centuries – it was once cooked in copper cauldrons over a fire. In winter, braised beef is the go-to partner for polenta – a perfect marriage of rustic tastes and culinary traditions.

For a bit of après-ski, try these comforting classics

TARTIFLETTE First appearing in the 1980s near the French-Swiss border in Haute-Savoie, tartiflette was created by the reblochon trade union to boost sales. It’s now a staple at ski resorts, featuring potatoes, bacon, onions and oozy reblocohon.

ZÜRCHER GESCHNETZELTES For a taste of Zurich, this is veal, sweetbreads and calf kidneys fried in onions, butter, wine, cream and mushrooms. The name is Swiss-German – ‘geschnetzeltes’ refers to how the meat is cut into strips.

VACHERIN In the cooler months, Vacherin Mont d’Or pops up in shops – a soft cow’s milk cheese made using milk from the Jura region and protected by a PDO. It’s often cooked in its spruce box with wine and garlic, then served warm.

FEBRUARY 2026 goodfood.com 135

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Get the best from our recipes Helping you to eat well Our BANT-registered nutritionist analyses our recipes on a per-serving basis, not including optional serving suggestions. You can compare these amounts with the Reference Intake (RI), the official recommended amount an adult should consume daily: Energy 2,000 kcals, Protein 50g, Carbohydrates 260g, Fat 70g, Saturates 20g, Sugar 90g, Salt 6g (RIs for total fat, saturates, sugar and salt are the maximum daily amounts). Healthy recipes are checked to ensure they have a low amount of saturated fat, sugar and salt per 100g, equivalent to green on a trafficlight label. On a per serving basis, Good Food require the saturated fat to be 5g or less, salt 1.5g or less and sugar, 15g or less per serving.

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Get out

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Bring in the Lunar New Year, sample plant-based dishes from around the world or try in-season British scallops compiled by RACHEL GUNTER

Sample plant-based bakes at Scotland’s Vegan Winter Festival

Try stout-infused treats at London’s new brewery experience

Guinness Open Gate Brewery

Photographs CARL SUKONIK / THE VAIN PHOTOGRAPHY, GILES CHRISTOPHER

The Super Duper Family Festival 18-21 February Looking for half-term fun? See Manchester transformed into an urban playground, with a carnival, games, live performances and crafts to keep kids entertained. Tickets: free Location: Manchester superduperfamilyfestival.com

Rye Bay Scallop Week 21 February-1 March Explore the restaurants in and around the coastal town of Rye – they’ll be showcasing locally caught scallops in special dishes while they’re in their peak season. Tickets: events individually priced Location: Rye, East Sussex scallop.org.uk

Open daily If you’re a stout lover, you’ll enjoy Guinness’ newly opened brewery experience. Similar to the original Dublin option, you’ll learn to pour a proper pint, take part in tastings and find out more about the heritage of Guinness. You can also enjoy a meal at one of two on-site restaurants. Tickets: from £30 Location: Covent Garden, London opengatelondon.guinness.com

Lunar New Year in London Scotland Vegan Winter Festival 7 February Discover plant-based dishes from around the world at food and drink stalls, learn more about going vegan during informative talks, plus shop from ethical skincare and clothing brands. Tickets: £5 Location: Paisley, Renfrewshire visitscotland.com

21-22 February Celebrate the Year of the Horse in the heart of London’s Chinatown – there will be a traditional lion dance to bring good luck for the year, plus a parade of colourful floats, free stage performances, workshops and, of course, plenty of celebratory Chinese food to try. Tickets: free Location: Chinatown, London chinatown.co.uk Have a half-term day out at the Super Duper Family Festival

FEBRUARY 2026 goodfood.com 137

last bite

Test. Taste. Repeat.

A snapshot of what we’ve been cooking, filming and loving in the test kitchen

Hot cross fun The team has been hard at work sampling hot cross buns and Easter eggs, debating spice levels, fruit distribution and chocolate snap – all in the name of research, so you know exactly which ones are worth putting on your shopping list (results coming soon).

Steak-ing a look back Who’s that in the kitchen? We welcomed Melissa Hemsley into the kitchen this month to film a batch of feel-good recipes, keep an eye out for them on @goodhealth bygoodfood.

While Christmas may be behind us, we couldn’t resist sharing one of our standout memories from the Good Food Christmas Show. Our absolute favourite butchers, HG Walter, carved up a whole side of beef with true craftsmanship. A reminder that great food starts with great producers!

138 goodfood.com FEBRUARY 2026

Testing, testing As ever, we’ve been creating exciting new dishes with great fresh produce! Favourites of the month include Esther Clark’s app takeover recipes, including this miso mushroom ramen.

Your Good Food everywhere, all at once

H G Walter

Find more fantastic recipes, fun feeds and great reads at: @goodfoodeveryday goodfood.com goodfoodeveryday.substack.com