Wheat berries paella-style

I've tried a new ingredient this week - wheat berries. Or perhaps not that new, because this is simply whole wheat, an ingredient I eat in different forms most days in things like bread, pasta, bulghur wheat and so on.  I bought the wheat berries from my local Turkish shop, where it was labelled as "Natural wheat". It took me a while to discover that this was the same thing as wheat berries (which are not berries at all).

Savoury rice cake with spinach and cheese

This savoury rice cake is a kind of cross between a risotto and a frittata. It is almost infinitely adaptable - you can use whatever vegetables take your fancy (as long as they're cut small), or ring the changes by using a different cheese. The rice does need to be a starchy, short-grain variety though (such as a risotto rice or paella rice, or even pudding rice), to help it stick together.

It is good hot or cold, and is perfect for a picnic. Or make it to eat hot for dinner and have the leftovers for lunch the next day.

Asparagus and pea risotto

Here's the most luxurious, delicious early summer risotto you can imagine. I'm posting this now in the hope that you might still be able to find some British asparagus. If not, you could use imported, or save it till next year. Or it will still be delicious with peas and no asparagus, just not quite as luxurious.

Easy pea risotto

Risotto sounds like hard work, but it doesn't have to be. You can stir all the time if you like, but this recipe works just as well with a casual stir now and then. A bag of frozen peas is your friend here, adding flavour and vivid green colour.

Spring greens

Here's a super-healthy vegetable dish that only takes about ten minutes to make. It can be a vibrant, spring-like side dish; a topping for bruschetta; a mixture to stir into a risotto; or even a meal in its own right, topped with a poached egg and perhaps with some fresh bread on the side.

Frozen vegetables are the key to making this super-speedy, but feel free to use fresh broad beans and/or beans if you prefer.

Springtime on a plate: asparagus and peas with eggs and bulgur wheat

I can hardly believe it's the beginning of June and I haven't posted any asparagus recipes yet. I always try to make the most of the English asparagus season, which basically involves cooking it as often as possible for the seven or eight weeks that it's around. A lot of my favourite asparagus recipes are pasta-based, but sometimes it's nice to have something a bit different (and possibly providing more of my 5 - or 7? - a day).

This is a really interesting dish that works just as well hot for dinner or cold as a packed lunch the next day. I love the mix of different textures (the peas, the asparagus, the soft bulghur wheat and the crunch of the walnuts) and with the wholegrains, vegetables, egg and nuts, it feels nutritionally balanced too.

I know asparagus isn't the cheapest ingredient, but it's only around briefly - and you can pick up small bunches in a certain German supermarket for about £1.09. I've found good multi-buy offers at farmers' markets in the past, too.