Since my daughter was little I have been collecting healthy and nutritious recipes and cooking our evening meals from scratch. I love to try out new dishes and run them by my family who then decide whether or not they go in 'the book'!
As the colder weather approaches I thought I'd share with you a few of our favourite winter warming meals that have made it into 'the book' and are always dug out at this time of year.
All the recipes are vegetarian but are so warming and filling I promise even the most avid meat eater will feel satisfied! All the ingredients used are simple, inexpensive and can be found in your local supermarket; they all serve roughly 4 people and won't take you very long to cook. So treat yourself, family and friends to a delicious, nutritious meal...I hope you enjoy!
Winter vegetable soup
(this makes loads so freeze half for another day!)
Ingredients:
olive oil
500g potatoes
300g carrots
2 large onions
1 large leek
300g parsnips
300g swede
small bunch of chopped parsley
2 pints of vegetable stock
salt and pepper
nice crusty bread
How to cook:
1. Peel (or leave if organic) and chop the potatoes, parsnips, swede and carrots into small chunks (roughly 2cm cubes) wash and slice the leek, chop the onion and garlic.
2. Put enough olive oil to cover bottom of a large sauce pan and gently fry the vegetables in this order: potatoes, swede, parsnips, carrots, leeks, onions and garlic. Stir occasionally until vegetable are really soft.
3. Meanwhile make the stock. Then add to the pan and bring to the boil. Simmer for 10 minutes.
4. Blend in the pan with a hand blender or leave the soup nice and chunky if you prefer. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Enjoy with warm crusty bread. Yum yum!
Spiced sweet potato,chickpea,dumpling casserole
Ingredients:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion
2 sticks of celery
1 green pepper
150g button mushrooms
400g sweet potato cut into bite size chunks
2 carrots also cut into small chunks
2 cloves garlic
1 tbsp plain flour
2 tbsp medium curry powder
125ml dry white wine!
600ml (1 pint) vegetable stock
can chopped tomatoes
can chickpeas drained and rinsed
Dumplings (you can also by these frozen or in a mix!)
100g self raising flour
50g vegetable suet
2 tbsp fresh coriander
How to cook:
1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees or gas mark 4. Heat the oil in a large pan and cook the onion, celery, pepper, mushrooms, sweet potato, carrots and garlic for 10 minutes until beginning to soften.
2. Add the flour and curry powder, stirring for 1 minute. Stir in the wine, stock, tomatoes and chickpeas. Season and bring to the boil. Bake in oven for 1 hour.
3. Meanwhile make the dumplings...Mix the flour, suet and coriander with 4-5 tbsp cold water to form a dough. Season to taste, shape into 8 balls and chill in fridge.
4. Remove casserole from oven after an hour of cooking, place the dumplings on the top and Cook for a further 30 minutes until dumplings are puffed up and golden brown
5. Serve to very hungry people!
Vegetable crumble
Ingredients:
150g wholemeal flour
100g oats
100g margarine
1 large onion
3 clove garlic
1 small cauliflower
200g carrots
1 medium leek
125g mushrooms
1 tin chopped tomatoes
1 vegetable stock cube
salt and pepper
How to cook:
1. Pre heat oven to 200 degrees or gas mark 6.
Peel and chop the onions and garlic, Slice the carrots and leeks and fry them all together in enough oil to cover a large saucepan.
2. Break the cauliflower into small pieces, finely chop the green parts as well and add to the pan.
3. Cut the mushrooms in half or leave whole if they are small, add them to the pan. Add the chopped tomatoes and the stock cube, bring to the boil and simmer until the cauliflower is almost cooked. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Mix the flour and the oats in a bowl, add the margarine in small pieces and rub in until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs. Season.
5. Put the vegetable mixture into an oven proof dish and cover with the crumble on top. For extra nutrients add some sesame or sunflower seeds!
6. Cook in the oven for 30 minutes and serve with Green beans/salad.
7. Enjoy!
Nutty lentil casserole
Ingredients:
500g potatoes with their skins on
1tbsp olive oil
1 chopped red onion
2 chopped carrots
200g red lentils
half tsp mixed dried herbs
1 tbsp soy sauce
150ml vegetable stock
tinned chopped tomatoes
85g roasted peanuts
40g grated cheddar cheese
How to cook:
1. Boil the potatoes with their skins on. In another large pan heat the oil and cook the onion for 5 minutes until softened. Add the chopped carrots and continue cooking for further 2 minutes.
2. Add the red lentils with the dried herbs and soy sauce and stir well to coat. Add the tinned tomatoes and vegetable stock and bring to the boil.
3. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until all the stock has been absorbed and the lentils have softened. Stir in the peanuts and simmer for a further 5 minutes. Drain the potatoes and allow to cool then slice.
4. Put the lentil mix into an oven proof dish and arrange to slice potatoes on the top. Sprinkle the grated cheese over the potatoes and place under a hot grill for 5-10 minutes until the heese is bubbling and golden.
5. Enjoy!
