If you like Mindful Chef, why not try this?

The Mazi Project was founded in 2021 to respond to the lack of support provided to families who relied on Free School Meals. In October 2020, I spent a week off work cooking and delivering meals to families around Bristol when schools were closed, so the fact that the Mazi Project continues to empower and support young people through food today, two years on, makes me proud to live in a city where people channel outrage into action.

I’m delighted to be involved with The Mazi Project, who have partnered with Sonny Stores (IMO the best restaurant in Bristol) on the Give a Box campaign. Imagine buying a Mindful Chef/Hello Fresh box, but every time you do, the same ingredients are delivered to a disadvantaged young person to make three nutritious meals. Well, crudely, that’s what this is. I’ve done the recipes and ingredients for July’s box, but this month, it’s Claire Thomson (5 O’clock Apron), next month (May) is my friend Steph of Pasetti and Boote and June’s recipes are from Elly Pear. If you live in Bristol, you can order one or all of the boxes here. It’s only available in Bristol currently, but with plans to roll out elsewhere down the line.

I can promise that the recipes will be seasonal, and very repeatably delicious.

In the meantime, here’s a quickie with some seasonal asparagus for you:

Double Dairy Asparagus

Trim a bunch of asparagus then add to a pan with a knob of sizzling butter. Fry over a high heat until blistered. Meanwhile, cook another knob of butter (about 25g) in a saucepan until it’s brown and smells like toasted nuts. Stir in 10 lightly toasted chopped almonds and a handful of parsley.
Spread some Greek yoghurt on a plate and top with the asparagus and brown butter mix. Squeeze over the juice of half a lemon and zest over some of the lemon too 🍋. The cooling yoghurt makes this a top choice for a day with blazing sunshine, but if you want to fake some sun it’s good for that too