Food to warm the cockles in this cold weather!
It’s freezing cold outside at the minute, with no sign of spring appearing
Why not use one of the following recipes which are guaranteed to warm you inside and out!!
Lentil and Tomato Soup (V)
Serves 4-6
This is a really easy and cheap recipe – and tastes delicious
1 small Onion, chopped
Tin of chopped Tomatoes
4oz/100g Red Lentils
1.5pints/900 ml Vegetable Stock
0.5 tsp dried Thyme or 1 sprig fresh
0.5 tsp Yeast Extract
2 tbsp Oil
Salt and Pepper
Heat the oil in a saucepan and fry the onion until transparent. Add the remaining ingredients, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Sweet Potato, Carrot and Parsnip Soup (v)
Serves 4
Again a cheap recipe, with the ginger giving a spicy kick!
175g Sweet Potatoes
175g Carrots
175g Parsnips
0.5 inch fresh root Ginger
1 tbsp Olive Oil
1 Litre Vegetable Stock
Salt and Pepper
Drizzle the veg with the olive oil and roast for 30 mins at 180c/Gas 4 until soft and golden brown
Grate the ginger and cook in 1tsp olive oil for a few minutes. Add the roasted vegetables and stock and simmer for 10-15 mins then puree in a blender. Season with Salt and Pepper
Beef and Ale Stew with Herby Dumplings
Serves 6
This recipe takes a long time to cook but tastes delicious. You can vary the vegetables; try sweet potatoes, parsnips and mushrooms
500g Diced Stewing Beef
500ml Ale or Guinness or Stout
2 medium onions
2 sticks celery
2 carrots
3 Bay Leaves (fresh or dried)
Olive Oil
1 Heaped Tbsp Plain Flour
1 x tin Chopped Tomatoes
Salt and Pepper
Roughly chop all the vegetables. Put all the veg and the Bay Leaves into a Casserole dish with the Olive Oil and fry for ten minutes. Add meat and flour. Pour in booze and tomatoes. bring to boil and put a lid on and either simmer on hob on very low heat or cook in Oven at Gas 4 for 3 hours. Remove the lid for the final half hour (add dumplings then if making)
Herby Dumplings
100g Self Raising Flour
Large Pinch Baking Powder
50g Suet
2 Sprigs Thyme (or 1tsp dried)
100ml cold water
Salt and Pepper
Sift the flour, baking powder and salt and pepper into a bowl and stir in the suet and thyme leaves. Stir in enough cold water to make soft sticky dough.
Using a spoon divide the dough into 6 pieces and drop on top of stew 30 minutes before the end of cooking. A fine skewer should come out clean when they are done.
Spicy Lamb with Sweet Potatoes
Serves 4
Another delicious recipe, again you can vary the vegetables with whatever you’ve got to hand. Use potatoes, leeks, celery or mushrooms, anything you’ve got really!
2 Red Onions Chopped
450g Sweet Potatoes, peeled and chopped
2 Garlic Cloves crushed
450g Lean diced Lamb
1tbsp medium Curry Powder or Paste
1 tbsp Flour
450ml Vegetable Stock
1 can Chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp Oil
Salt and Pepper
Preheat the oven to 180c/Gas 4. Add the oil, heat a frying pan or ovenproof casserole dish and fry the onions and garlic until soft. Add the lamb and continue cooking until the meat is browned on all sides. Sprinkle the curry powder/paste and flour all over and ‘cook out’ for one minute.
Gradually stir in the vegetable stock. Add the sweet potatoes and tomatoes and bring the sauce to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook in the oven for 1.5-2 hours until the meat is tender. Serve from the pot.
I'm a married mum of one, living in Wirral. Interested in cooking, growing stuff to eat and fitness. Have Bipolar Disorder but it doesn't stop me leading a full and productive life. 
