''Homemade is a fun, satisfying and delicious way to eat, one that considers your health and the environment.''
Ozich, a mother of three, always tries to keep food simple and fuss-free without losing flavour.
''I love to eat in a way that makes me feel light, energetic and nourished. This does not mean I spend hours on end making fancy or extravagant dishes - quite the opposite, in fact.''
Her new cookbook, Homemade, includes back-to-basic methods using simple, everyday ingredients that do not cost the earth.
Food such as oatcakes, caramel sauce or yoghurt are things people buy in the supermarket without knowing how satisfying they are to make at home.
''Once you have a go at making these basics from scratch you'll find they're so much more delicious than their plastic-packaged counterparts.''
To that end, she has included chapters on kitchen essentials, including pantry essentials and handy tools along with recipes for things like ghee, stocks, flavoured salts, dukkah, drinks and flour mixes.
She moves on to making cheese, milk and yoghurts, including nut milks and cheeses and different sauces, dips and dressings.
There is also a chapter on sweets and snacks and baked goods, such as scones, pancakes, brownies and bliss balls.
Her philosophy on homemade also extends to the home with recipes for beauty and wellbeing and the home, including bath melts, face masks, all-purpose cleaning spray and dishwashing powder.
Grandad's tomato sauce
I simply had to include this recipe for my grandad's legendary tomato sauce. I can guarantee it's unlike anything you've tried before, with its soft, subtle spice and slightly vinegary tang. This fabulous recipe is one to make when you have a serious glut of ripe tomatoes towards the end of summer. Note: you'll find most of the ingredients are measured in grams as this is how my grandad ensures the sauce turns out delicious every time!
Makes 6-7 750ml bottles
Ingredients
3kg tomatoes, roughly chopped
25g garlic, peeled
1kg apples, roughly chopped
7 large brown onions, roughly chopped
110g sea salt
1kg sugar, I used light muscovado
500ml apple cider vinegar, plus 2-3 Tbsp extra
juice of 3 lemons
3½ Tbsp flour
2 Tbsp cornflour
large piece of muslin or cheesecloth
For the spice bag
28g whole peppercorns
15g whole allspice
15g whole cloves
15g cayenne pepper
Method
Working in batches, place the tomatoes, garlic, apples and onions in a food processor, and pulse until finely chopped.
Place the vegetables in a large stock pot over medium heat, along with the sea salt and sugar.
Enclose all spice bag ingredients in a handkerchief-sized piece of muslin or cheesecloth and tie tightly at the top, using a long piece of twine to lower the spice bag into the saucepan.
Tie the string to the pot handle for easy retrieval. Bring to the boil, and simmer on low for at least 1 hour until the mixture is well softened.
Remove the spice bag and, working in batches, blend the sauce in a blender or food processor, until silky smooth. Pour the sauce back into the pot, and heat.
Add the vinegar and lemon juice (apart from adding to the flavour, the acetic acid and citric acid in the juice are natural preservatives). Bring to the boil and simmer on low for about an hour. Keep stirring the sauce every 10 minutes or so.
In a small bowl, combine the flour and cornflour with enough vinegar to make a runny liquid. Remove the pot from the heat, and add the flour mixture to the sauce, stirring briskly.
Put the pot back on to the heat and continue to stir until the sauce has thickened.
The sauce is now ready for bottling. Pour into sterilised bottles or jars, and screw on the lids tightly.
Will keep in the pantry for up to 5 years. Store in the fridge once opened.
Courgette, apple and orange mini cakes
A recipe that is both indulgent and virtuous, these courgette, apple and orange-scented mini cakes are irresistibly moist and beautiful to eat. Enjoy them as they come, or top with vanilla bean mascarpone.
Makes 12
Ingredients
⅓ cup natural or coconut yoghurt
⅓ cup melted coconut oil
¾ cup coconut sugar
2 free-range eggs, beaten
½ cup grated apple
½ cup grated courgette
zest 1 orange
1 ½ c spelt flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/4 tsp sea salt.
Method
Heat the oven to 160degC, and lightly grease a 12-hole mini loaf tin or muffin tin.
In a large bowl, whisk together the yoghurt, coconut oil and coconut sugar. Fold in the remaining ingredients, and mix until well combined.
Divide the mixture among the prepared tins.
Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the middle of each loaf.
Allow to cool for 5 minutes in the tins, and then carefully turn out on to a cooling rack.
Will keep in an airtight container for up to three days.
Spelt and spinach wraps
Here's a wonderful recipe for spinach wraps. Soft and light to eat, I love to fill them with grilled chicken, salad and luscious mayonnaise for a laid-back summer picnic. You can also make them ahead of time and pop them in the freezer.
Makes 8 wraps
Ingredients
2 cups fresh spinach leaves
1½ cups spelt flour
½ tsp finely ground sea salt
1 Tbsp olive oil, plus additional for cooking
½ cup hot water
Method
Fill a medium-sized saucepan with water, and place over medium heat until simmering. Add the spinach leaves, and cook for a minute or so, until the leaves start to wilt. Drain the spinach using a colander, and rinse under cold water.
Finely slice the spinach, then place in a large mixing bowl along with the flour and salt. Stir in the oil and hot water a little at a time, and mix using a fork until the dough starts to come together.
Knead the dough on a floured surface until soft and elastic in texture, about 5 minutes.
Divide the dough into eight pieces and shape each piece into a ball. Cover with a damp tea towel, and allow to rest for about 10 minutes.
Roll each dough ball into a circle, nice and thin like a tortilla, keeping in mind the size of your pan.
Grease a large pan and place over high heat. Reduce heat to low and then cook until lightly golden about 30 seconds on each side.
Repeat with the remaining dough.
Will keep in fridge for up to 3 days.
