Welcome to a win-win vegetarian Italian classic: it’s simple, delicious and makes clever use of old bread

Today’s easy recipe for Italian vegetarian “meatballs” is a great way to use up stale bread in a tasty yet economical way. I like them gently fried, then mixed with tomato sauce and spaghetti, but they’re also great coated in breadcrumbs and deep-fried or baked until crisp and delicious. They’re good with steamed seasonal greens, too. Other variations on the theme include placing a cube of mozzarella in the middle of each ball and taking this dish to the next level. Unless I’m feeling flush, though, I prefer to keep things simple with just breadcrumbs flavoured with parmesan or a vegetarian alternative (or whatever cheese I have to hand).

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Two light and sprightly Thai dishes for spring: mushroom tom yum soup with rice noodles, and crisp cauliflower in a sweet-sour tamarind sauce

” Gin khao yung ?” – or “Have you eaten yet?” – is a way of saying hello in Thailand. It’s similar to “‘What’s up?” and “How’s it going?”, and is an indication of just how important food is in the everyday lives of Thai people. These recipes from my book, Thai Made Easy, are two classics reinvented with plant-based ingredients – simple to assemble and suitable for most.

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Meaty jackfruit takes the place of fish in this fresh and fragrant Thai-style curry with vermicelli noodles

Forget about breakfast at Tiffany’s: breakfast in Phuket is where it’s at. At Pa Mai, you can pull up a plastic stool to a table resplendent with the finest herbs, pickles and fresh fruit Thailand has to offer. And those are just the accoutrements: the star of the show is the khanom chin buffet, where coils of handmade, fermented rice noodles sit waiting for you to ladle over your choice of (frankly, an embarrassment) of coconut milk curries. Back home in the UK, my breakfasts are not quite so leisurely, but my evening meals sometimes are, and that’s when I’d recommend you indulge in this slice of Thai paradise.

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Charity says plain and fruit scones have been dairy-free for years, but can be ‘enjoyed with butter or cream’

The National Trust has long prided itself on its famous scones. There is even a blog dedicated to them, along with a “scone of the month” feature.

And with more than 3 million sold every year, including being served with cream teas at its 300-plus tearooms, they are seen as an integral part of the National Trust day out.

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For a rapid weeknight dinner, this white bean, leek and fennel casserole with a fruity, nutty topping will hit the spot

I recently went to a dinner party where this dish was served, topped with butter-fried sea bream and a wonderful tahini sauce. It occurred to both me and the cook, my friend Danielle, that you could easily serve the beans and gremolata with just some good bread on the side for an easy weeknight dinner.

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The cookbook author and TikTok creator – AKA @thekindnessechoes – shares her egg- and dairy-free takes on classic sweet treats

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The classic spicy Levantine sandwich is made meat-free with hearty baked mushrooms

Reviews and ratings are very much a part of our daily lives. Most of them I disregard, but occasionally something cuts through and it feels as if people have truly voted with their hearts. That was the case when I stumbled across Sam Sifton’s New York Times recipe for chicken shawarma with 19,624 five-star ratings. I had to try it, but there were two problems: I didn’t want chicken (I wanted mushrooms) and, being a serial tinkerer in the kitchen, I tinkered with it. With thanks and apologies to Sam, I’m happy to report that I’d give this five stars, too.

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The use of bean water in your baking makes use of a miracle ingredient and saves money on expensive eggs, too

Today’s macaroons are easy and fun little treats using just a few store-cupboard ingredients. Whenever I use a can of beans (which, frankly, is most days), I try to include the aquafaba, or bean water, in whatever it is I’m making. Inevitably, though, I sometimes end up with a bit left over, which means I have to get creative to find a way to use it up. Sometimes, I’ll include the liquid in a soup or stew, or use it to make mayonnaise , caesar salad dressing or a whisky sour. When my sweet tooth kicks in, or when I want to bake with my daughter, however, I often use it to make a simple sweet snack such as today’s macaroons. Using aquafaba in baking saves money, too. Good eggs are expensive, so I’d rather save them for when they’re essential to a recipe.

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Let the oven work its magic on fennel wedges, then add some blood orange for a refreshing lift

Preheat the oven to 200C/gas mark 6. Snap the feathery green fronds from 3 heads of fennel and set aside for later. If your fennel doesn’t have any, no matter. Slice the fennel in half from stem to root, then cut each half into 3 or 4 segments. Put them into a roasting tin or baking dish, trickle over 3 good tbsp of olive oil then season lightly with salt . Bake for 30 minutes or so, turning them over once or twice so the cut edges colour to pale, toasted gold.

Scatter 3 tbsp of flaked almonds in a dry, shallow pan and place over a moderate heat. Let the almonds brown lightly, taking care not to let them darken beyond a pale gold, lest they turn bitter. Remove from the heat and set aside with the fennel fronds.

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