As we know, Easter is a time to gather with your loved ones and enjoy the best foods and wines. If you’re making last-minute menu plans, we’ve gathered three of our favourite wholesome Sunday recipes – from an epic nut roast to lamb and chicken variations.

Perfect for a Sunday roast, or even Christmas Day, just serve this alongside some roast potatoes, carrots and greens. You can switch around the type of nuts in this recipe, as long as they add up to 200g (7oz or 1½ cups).

1 red onion, finely sliced
1 tbsp brown rice miso
500ml (2 cups) vegetable stock
1 tbsp cornflour
Red wine vinegar, to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 180oC/Fan 160oC/350oF/Gas 4.
2. Warm the oil (if using) or a few tablespoons water in a large saucepan. Add the celery and cook gently for 5 minutes, until starting to soften.
3. Add the mushrooms and squash and continue to cook gently for another 10 minutes, until they have started to soften. Add a dash more water if they look like catching in the pan.
4. Pour in the quinoa and stock and bring to a simmer. Cook for 10 – 12 minutes, until the quinoa is tender and almost all the stock has been absorbed.
5. Remove from the heat and add all the remaining ingredients, stirring well to break up the lentils. Taste and tweak to your liking with a little salt and pepper, if needed.
6. Transfer the mixture to a 500g (1lb) loaf tin. Use a fork to flatten and furrow the top. Place in the oven for 30 minutes, or until slightly coloured and crisp on the top.
7. Meanwhile, make the gravy. Put the onions in a saucepan with 4 tablespoons water and cook over a gentle heat for 15 minutes, until completely soft and starting to colour. Add a dash more water if they look like catching at any point.
8. Stir in the miso, add the stock and bring to a gentle simmer.
9. In a small bowl, mix the cornflour with just enough cold water to form a paste. Stir this into the gravy and return it to a simmer until thickened. (Use more cornflour if you like a thicker gravy.) Taste and season with salt and pepper. If you think it needs a bit of sharpness, add a small dash of red wine vinegar.
10. Remove the nut roast from the oven and set aside to cool for 5 minutes. Run a knife around the sides, then turn it onto a board and serve in generous slices.

This is such an easy way to roast a chicken. The garlic salt that is rubbed on at the start really gets into the meat, acting as both seasoning and brine, keeping your bird ultra-juicy.

1. Mix 1 tablespoon of salt with the garlic to form a grainy paste, then rub the chicken inside and out with the paste. Stuff half of the thyme sprigs and the lemon into the bird’s cavity, then let the chicken stand for 30 minutes at room temperature.
2. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 220°C/430°F/Gas 8.
3. Take a large baking tray (pan), about 3cm deep, which should be deep enough to contain the veg but not so deep that it covers the sides of the chicken. Arrange the veg over the bottom of the tray. Rub the softened butter over the breast of the chicken and set it on top of the vegetables. Drizzle the oil over the veg, scatter the remaining thyme, and season with salt and pepper.
4. Roast in the hot oven for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, move the veg under the chicken about a bit, reduce the oven temperature to 220°C/180°C and return the tray to the oven to roast for another 30 minutes.
5. Lift the chicken off the veg, place it on a serving dish and allow to rest in a warm spot for at least 10 minutes. Give the veg another stir and return to the oven to keep it warm.
6. Carve the chicken and serve with the vegetables and any pan juices.

Heating up olives softens them and in the process releases their amazing and intense flavour. This sauce is lovely with most things but especially good with polenta and greens.

For the purple sprouting brocolli
600g purple-sprouting broccoli, trimmed
3 tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, finely sliced

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas mark 4
2. Make the polenta. Pour 1 litre of water into a saucepan. Place over a high heat and, when the water comes to the boil, very gradually whisk in the polenta, reduce the heat and cook for 30 minutes, until no longer sticks to the side of the pan. Add the olive oil and salt and leave to one side to keep warm.
3. Meanwhile, make the sauce. Heat a saucepan over a medium heat and add the olive oil, garlic, anchovies, and parsley. Cook gently for 2 mins, and then add the olives, cook for 1 minute, then add the cream. Bring to a simmer and turn off heat. Leave to one side to keep warm.
4. For the broccoli, bring a pan of salted water to the boil. Add the broccoli, including any leaves, and bring back to the boil. Boil for 2 minutes, then remove from the heat and drain, keeping the pan hot. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the sliced garlic to the pan and cook over a medium heat for 1 minute. Add the broccoli, and cook for 10 minutes, until broken up slightly. Check the seasoning and add a tablespoon of water and the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Stir to coat, and leave to one side to keep warm.
5. Cook the lamb. Pat off the marinade residue from the lamb using kitchen paper. Season the meat with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large, ovenproof frying pan over a medium heat. Seal the lamb rumps, turning to brown on all sides (this should take 4 minutes).
6. Place the lamb rumps fat-sides downwards in the pan then roast in the oven for 8 minutes. With a meat thermometer, check that the middle of the lamb is 45°C/110°F for a lovely pink piece of meat, then remove from the oven. Turn them over a couple of times and leave in the pan to rest.
7. To serve, spoon the polenta onto a serving dish then top with broccoli. Against the grain, slice each lamb rump in to 3 slices and place on top of the broccoli and polenta. Pour over the sauce and serve immediately.