Winter Warmers

 

Beef and Vegetable Stew

(Serves 4)

Ingredients

  • 500g lean stewing beef
  • 6-8 baby onions or 2 medium onions
  • 2 carrots 8 small mushrooms
  • 1 x 15ml spoon oil
  • 1 x 15ml spoon flour
  • 600ml stock (water and beef stock cube)
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 x 5ml spoon thyme

Method

  1. Firstly prepare the vegetables: Peel and slice the onions, peel and chop the carrots, and slice the mushrooms in half.
  2. With a fresh knife on a clean chopping board, dice the beef.
  3. On a medium add some oil to a saucepan and cook the beef until brown.
  4. Once browned, stir in the flour, so each piece of beef is covered.
  5. Add all other ingredients, stir in the onions, carrots and mushrooms, and pour in the stock and add the bay leaf and thyme.
  6. Bring to the stew to the boil and then reduce to a simmer. Cover with the lid and cook for 1 hour.

Top tips

  • You could serve the stew with boiled or mashed potatoes.

  • To add to your 5 a day why not add some more vegetables such as parsnips, peas or broad beans to the stew or have some peas or sweet corn on the side

Chicken Casserole

(Serves 4)

Ingredients

  • 8 chicken thighs

  • 1 onion

  • 1 carrot

  • 1 leek

  • 1 potato

  • 8 mushrooms

  • 1 x 15ml oil

  • 1 x 15ml spoon flour

  • 800ml stock (water and cube)

  • 1 x 5ml spoon mixed herbs (fresh or dried)

 

Method

  1. Preheat your oven to 180ºC or gas mark 4.
  2. Firstly prepare the vegetables: peel and chop the onion, peel and chop the carrot, trim the leek and slice, peel and cut the potato into 8 pieces, and slice the mushrooms in quarters.
  3. With a fresh knife on a clean chopping board, remove them chicken skin.
  4. Add a little oil into a saucepan and fry the chicken for 5 minutes, until it has turned white, once white place the chicken in an oven proof dish.
  5. Add the potatoes to the chicken in the dish.
  6. In a saucepan fry the onion for 2 minutes, then add the leeks, mushrooms and carrots.
  7. Sprinkle over the flour, then gradually add the stock, stirring all the time until thickened.
  8. Pour this mixture over the chicken and then add the herbs.
  9. Cover the oven proof dish and cook for 1-1.5 hours.

Top Tips

  • You could make a tasty vegetarian casserole by swapping the chicken for extra vegetables.

Leek and Potato Soup

(Serves 4)

Ingredients

  • 2 large leeks

  • 4 medium potatoes

  • 850ml stock (water and stock cube)

  • Black pepper

 

Method

  1. Wash and peel the leeks and potatoes.
  2. Chop the vegetables into small chunks.
  3. Place the vegetables in a saucepan and add the stock and heat until the stock is boiling.
  4. Turn down the heat and cook gently for 30 minutes.
  5. Add some black pepper.
  6. You may wish to leave the soup chunky or you can make the soup into a smooth consistency by using a hand blender. Serve the soup hot.

Top tips

  • Why not try different types of vegetables - carrots, swede, cabbage or peppers could all be added.

Mushroom Risotto

(Serves 4)

Ingredients

  • 150g chestnut mushrooms

  • 1 onion

  • 2 cloves garlic

  • 1 x 15ml spoon olive oil

  • 250g risotto rice

  • 1 x 5ml spoon vegetable stock powder

  • 1-1.5 litres water, boiling

  • 1 x 15ml spoon parmesan, grated

  • 1 x 10ml spoon thyme, chopped

 

Method

  1. Firstly prepare the vegetables: ? peel and chop the onion; ? slice the mushrooms; ? and peel and crush the garlic.
  2. In a sauce pan add a little oil and fry the onion and garlic until they are soft.
  3. Add the mushrooms, and fry for another 2 minutes. Then Stir in the risotto rice.
  4. While cooking, in a jug or bowl mix the stock powder with the water.
  5. Add a little of the stock to the rice and keep stirring till the stock is absorbed.
  6. Continue adding the stock until the rice is cooked – this will take 20-25 minutes. The rice should be soft, but still retain a nutty bite.
  7. Stir the parmesan and thyme into the rice.

Top tips

  • You could try using different ingredients, such as chicken, prawns or Mediterranean vegetables.

Vegetarian Lasagne

(Serves 4)

Ingredients

  • 1 onion

  • 1 garlic clove

  • 1 carrot

  • 2 celery sticks

  • 1 x 10ml spoon oil

  • 100g green lentils

  • 1 x can chopped tomatoes (400g)

  • 1 x 5ml spoon mixed herbs

  • 1 x 15ml spoon tomato purée

  • 200ml reduced fat crème fraiche

  • 25g grated parmesan

  • 100ml semi-skimmed milk

  • Black pepper

  • 6 lasagne sheets

 

Method

  1. Preheat your oven to 190ºC or gas mark 5.
  2. Prepare the vegetables: peel and chop the onion, peel and crush the garlic, peel and slice the carrot, and slice the celery.
  3. Fry the onion, garlic, carrot and celery in the oil until soft.
  4. Once soft, add the lentils, tomatoes, herbs and tomato purée.
  5. Pour in some water, just enough to cover the mixture, bring to the boil and then allow to simmer for 15 minutes with the lid on.
  6. Next mix the crème fraiche, milk, pepper and half the grated cheese together in a small bowl until you have a smooth sauce.
  7. Place an oven proof dish on a baking tray and spread some lentil mixture in the bottom. Cover with lasagne sheets and then a little crème fraiche sauce on top of the sheets. Repeat this process until dish is full, finishing with the sauce on top.
  8. Sprinkle the remaining grated cheese on top and bake for 20 minutes.

Top Tips

  • You could try using different vegetables such as courgettes, peppers or aubergine. You could also try using different cheeses. Please make note of cheeses that need to be avoided during pregnancy

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