Relaxed, inspiring and as mouthwatering as ever, Nigella Lawson's latest series Simply Nigella shows us that what and how we cook really can make us feel better and more alive. In this first episode, Nigella introduces us to recipes that are quick and calm. There is Nigella's favourite breakfast - a twist on avocado toast with radishes - as well as a deliciously different Thai noodle dish with cinnamon and prawns that was inspired by a recent holiday to Thailand, and a laid-back family supper of luscious lamb ribs with nigella and cumin seeds, served with a feta and avocado salad. To help wind down at the end of a hectic day, there's some stove-side pottering with Nigella's warm spiced cauliflower and chickpea salad. And a sweet treat comes in the form of a beautifully simple apricot almond cake.
Nigella continues to show us that what and how we cook really can make us feel better and more alive with the second episode in her latest series. In this episode, Nigella introduces her favourite recipes for sharing with family and friends. Whether it is a tray of nourishing breakfast bars for those mornings you need to grab and go, a supper of crunchy chicken cutlets that are just as much fun in the making as in the eating, or Nigella's latest addition to her Chocolate Cake Hall of Fame - her stunning dark and sumptuous chocolate cake - every recipe is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. There is a pork bun feast too. First inspired by a visit to a New York eatery, Nigella's succulent belly pork burgers - with their array of condiments and picky bits - are now a favourite DIY lunch when the hordes descend.
Packed with new recipes and tips designed to make our busy lives easier, Simply Nigella proves that whatever the occasion, food, in the eating and the making, should always be pleasurable. This episode is all about dishes that marry the comfort of the familiar with the freshness of the new, like Nigella's grown-up take on a family favourite - fluffy oat pancakes with a raspberry and honey syrup. For a fun lunch, there is a riff on the classic Caesar salad. A casual supper with friends sees Nigella serving a green-inspired feast of squid and orzo pasta, complete with the Greek dessert of old rag pie - a sweet and savoury twist on a cheesecake. And finally, Nigella's take on a rice bowl with ginger, radish and avocado celebrates a few choice ingredients, resulting in a dish that is calming and uplifting to look at, as well as to eat.
There is another serving of irresistibly easy dishes on offer as Nigella rustles up more of her favourite recipes that promise to help with the wind down at the end of a long day. This time, the focus is on ensuring a cosy and comforting vibe. Breakfast is a tray of cheering chai muffins - light, luscious and dairy-free. For a low-key lunch, there are Nigella's Asian-flavoured short ribs - a perfect make-ahead, meltingly tender beef stew. And friends are in for an informal supper with Nigella's fish tacos. Inspired by her visits to Tacoria's on America's west coast, Nigella's homemade, oven-baked version involves a bit of DIY at the table, ensuring a laid-back atmosphere for guests and host alike. The tacos are followed by a divine salted chocolate tart for pudding.
As Nigella says, 'Part of the balance of life lies in understanding that different days require different types of eating'. So in this episode, Nigella shares her favourite menu to help get that balance in the kitchen. For the days when something light and luscious is needed, Nigella's salad of salmon, avocado, watercress and pumpkin seeds fits perfectly. For the occasions that call for something a bit different, there is Nigella's chicken shawarma with an array of spices, sauces and flatbreads. Inspired by a spit-roasted Lebanese kebab, Nigella's oven-roasted version is fun, tasty and prefect for feeding a crowd. There has to be chocolate in the balance and Nigella shares two of her latest treats, a glossy liquorice and blackcurrant chocolate cake and her chocolate chip cookie dough pots - freshly-baked pots of gooey cookie dough served with a dollop of ice cream or creme fraiche.
Nigella delivers her final serving of feelgood food in this episode, sharing the origins of some of her latest recipe ideas and revealing just how and why they came into being. There is a beautiful bowl of steamed clams with Thai basil - a recipe that was inspired by Nigella's recent holiday in Thailand. Then there is Nigella's toasty olive oil granola, which is born out of a need to have a satisfying breakfast at the ready, even on the busiest of mornings. Hunger pangs at the other end of the day led to Nigella's griddled halloumi with a sweet chilli sauce. Finally, Nigella's friends are treated to a 'bav and pav' feast for supper - griddled bavette steak for main course, followed by a luscious lemon pavlova for pud.
In this hour-long special, Nigella shares her foolproof guide to stress-free festive cooking and easy entertaining - with a line-up of celebratory dishes which are both indulgent and practical. Inspired by the sparkling Christmas lights in Kansas City, USA, Nigella shows us how to have our most relaxed, most spectacular Christmas yet. She introduces the local, home-spun food that has inspired some of this year's favourite festive recipes, adding a British twist back in her kitchen. Her oh-so-slow-cooked black treacle ham replaces the traditional turkey as the party centrepiece, paired with a refreshingly bright medley of sweet and sour vegetable slaw. Nigella treats her guests to not one, but three sumptuous cakes to tuck into. Her trio of bundt cakes begins with a delicately flavoured cider and five-spice sponge, topped with an indulgent salted caramel sauce, followed by a delicious lemon and thyme version and ending with a pumpkin bundt, adorned with an aromatic orange icing. Other sweet treats include Nigella's make-ahead triple chocolate buckwheat cookies. And for those cold wintery nights, Nigella whisks up a gloriously green spiced parsnip and spinach soup. Enjoying the leftover ham, Nigella creates her stir-fried rice with double sprouts, chilli and pineapple, topped with a fried egg.
