Dairy Free

You can't beat the flavour and colour of the new seasons' forced rhubarb. Look out for it in January when it brings a welcome lift to the seasonal fruit offering. Eat this compote on yoghurt for breakfast, or with rice pudding, or on top of a cheesecake or just enjoy it as it is.

This is a Middle Eastern inspired dish with Sumac adding lemon citrus flavours and tartness to the fish. Sumac is a coarsely ground powder made from the berries of the Sumac bush, which is native to the Middle East and particularly notable in Iran. It is easy to find in Waitrose and other good supermarkets. Try this recipe with any other firm fleshed fish but make sure that if you plan to cook it on the barbecue that you keep the skin on as it helps prevent the fish from sticking to the grid.

This is a fat free recipe for those looking for a dairy free cake. The dried fruit is soaked in tea to make it juicy and plump.Try making it with different types of dried fruit such as apricots, dates or figs and also different teas. Earl Grey or Lapsang Souchong both work well. The cake keeps very well in a tin for a week.

Fragrant and delicately spicy, these meatballs are quick to make in a food processor and can be steamed or fried. Serve the steamed meatballs in an Asian style vegetable broth and the fried meatballs with a dipping sauce. Makes 45 meatballs. 1 tablespoon of Thai fish sauce in the meatball mix and/or the broth will add a further depth to the flavour.