Rukmini Iyer’s quick and easy recipe for spiced roasted cauliflower with chickpeas, halloumi and lemony bulgur

An easy weeknight dinner, with enough for a lunchbox the next day, too. Chickpeas, halloumi and pomegranate are always a winning combination and were a constant on my summer table, but you’ll add plant points and an autumnal touch with the lovely, baharat-spiced cauliflower and hearty, lemon-spiked bulgur wheat base.If you don’t have baharat, substitute with ras el hanout or a few generous tablespoons of rose harissa instead.Prep 15 min Cook 25 min Serves 31 medium cauliflower, cut into medium florets, plus any young leaves400g tinned or jarred chickpeas, drained and rinsed1 red onion, peeled and cut into eight250g halloumi, cut into 2cm chunks2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely grated2 tbsp olive oil 2 heaped tsp baharat 1 tsp sea salt flakes ½ tsp caster sugar (optional)200g bulgur wheat 400ml hot vegetable stockJuice and finely grated zest of 1 lemon, plus 2 strips lemon zest2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil Seeds of ½ pomegranate15g fresh mint, leaves pickedHeat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6. Tip the cauliflower, cauliflower leaves, chickpeas, onion and halloumi into a large roasting tin, then mix in the garlic, olive oil, baharat, salt and sugar, if using

Rachel Roddy’s recipe for polenta with buttery garlic mushrooms | A kitchen in Rome

Polenta is occasionally known as pulenda. It’s a reminder that both the name and the cooking method has its roots in antiquity and in the Latin word puls, a blanket term for a universal method: long-cooked, semi-liquid dishes, or “mushes”, based on cereals or legumes. Which leads us to another nice word-link: puls is also the root of the word pulses. But back to antiquity, where the nature of the mushes depended on where in the world they were made, and what was available.The Guardian’s journalism is independent

The nut of the future! 17 delicious ways with pistachios, from cakes to salads to cocktails

Pistachio farmers are having a bumper year – and looking forward to many more. These recipes will help you make the most of the glutPistachios are booming. In California, which has overtaken Iran as the top exporter in recent decades, growers are expected to harvest 1bn lb (about 450m kg) of them this year, a figure that is projected to double by 2031.At a time when all forms of agriculture face stark choices because of climate breakdown, pistachio orchards are expanding: the trees are more drought-tolerant than many crops, including other nuts such as almonds. But if pistachios end up becoming the nut of the future, how will we cope with record-breaking harvests? For now, here are 17 delicious ways to use up your personal allotment of this year’s yield

The truth about salt: how to avoid one of the world’s biggest hidden killers

Most of us consume far too much, which can lead to high blood pressure, heart attacks and strokes. But there are some simple ways to retrain your palate and reduce your intakeLast Tuesday, I bought lunch on the go. I fancied something hot, tasty but healthy, so I chose a vegan ramen from the Japanese-inspired chain Wasabi. The soup was packed with turmeric noodles, vegetable gyozas, mushrooms, bean sprouts, pak choi, pickled ginger and sesame seeds, in a soy and miso broth. It was delicious

Notes on chocolate: why an advent calendar is such a sweet delight

Tasty ways to count down the days to ChristmasThe Guardian’s journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more.Once upon a time advent calendars were simply perforated windows you opened on to a festive scene, but now everything can be adapted, come this time of year, into an advent calendar. I even saw one for the Gilmore Girls the other day

The Martlet, Rochdale: ‘A victory of professionalism’ – restaurant review

Civic pride meets glorious cooking at a remarkably fair priceThe Martlet, Rochdale Town Hall, OL16 1AZ. Lunch plates £10; main courses £14 – £21; desserts £5; afternoon tea £21. Evening menu: three courses £35. Wines from £22 a bottleIt’s easy to imagine the ways by which the Martlet in Rochdale could have gone so very wrong; how the perceived demands of civic responsibility and the innate grinding conservatism of bureaucracy could have resulted in a dull, mediocre offering for the town. It wouldn’t even have been worth rolling your eyes at