Serves 4:

Quinoa can also be used in desserts and here is an alternative version of rice pudding.

• 2 cups water
• 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
• 2 tbsp tahini
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 2 eggs lightly beaten
• 2 cups soya milk
• 1 tbsp vanilla
• pinch of sea salt
• ¼ tbsp grated lemon zest
• ¼ cup dates, chopped
• ¼ cup of currants
• ¼ cup of ground toasted almonds
• freshly grated nutmeg

Bring the water to the boil and add the quinoa. Lower heat and cook for 10 minutes or until the water is absorbed. Allow to sit for 5 minutes. Preheat oven to 325F. Cream the tahini with the maple syrup. Stir in the eggs, soya milk, vanilla, salt and lemon zest. Add quinoa, dates, and currants and mix well. Oil a casserole dish and sprinkle the bottom with 2 tablespoons of nuts. Pour in quinoa mixture and tope with remaining nuts and nutmeg. Bake for 50 minutes or until set.

It is lovely to have a fruit jelly when the warmer is still warm, but a conventional jelly is made from gelatine with colouring and sugar.  Gelatine is a protein derived from the collagen found in animal remnants most usually the bones.

A seaweed called agar is an easy way to make jelly.  The simplest form to use is agar powder but it can also be bought as flakes.

For a colourful jelly use red grape juice or blackcurrant (sugar free, pure juice).

Bring 300ml (1/2 pint) of juice to the boil and add 1 teaspoon of agar powder.

Once the agar has dissolved, transfer to a dish or mould.

The jelly can be left to set at room temperature or you can put it in the fridge.

As it sets add halves of seedless grapes or segment of tinned mandarin oranges (canned in fruit juice not syrup) or berries e.g. blueberries.

Serves 4:

• 1 cup millet
• 3 cups water
• 1 medium sweet potato
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 1 tsp fresh ginger
• ½ cup fresh coriander, chopped

Toast the millet in a heavy pan until it starts to smell fragrant. Leave aside. Put the water, sweet potato, mustard seeds, curry and ginger into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Add the toasted millet.

Cover and reduce heat and cook for 25-30 minutes or until the millet has absorbed all the water. Allow to cool.

With your hands, mix the coriander with the mixture. Form into small rissoles and grill over a medium heat, until each side is golden. Can be served with a salad and/or a green vegetable like broccoli.