Vegetable Crumble

Ingredients:
For the crumble topping:
Butter or margarine 100g
wholemeal flour 175g
Cheddar cheese, grated 100g
Mixed seeds 50g
Sesame seeds 2 tbsp

Base:
Mixed root veg (parsnip, swede, turnip, potato, carrot etc) 675g
1 large onion
Butter or margarine 50g
wholemeal flour 25g
300ml vegetable stock
142 ml milk
3 tbsp chopped parsley

Rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Add the cheese and seeds and mix in.

Chop the vegetables then melt the butter in a large pan and cook the onion until transparent. Add the prepared veg and cook over a gentle heat for 10 minutes. Stir in the flour then add the remaining ingredients. Bring to the boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes until the veg is just tender.

Transfer to an oven proof dish. Press the crumble topping over the veg and bake in the oven at 190c for about half an hour, until golden.

(serves 6)

Home-Made Butternut Squash Tortellini

Our hand-made tortellini (spot Ash's ones in the bottom right corner! He delegated the rest of them to me after these deformed efforts!)

The finished dish

This recipe is really yummy & also good for you as the gyoza dumpling dough is lower in calories than fresh egg pasta. I promise you won't be able to tell the difference!

Ingredients:

Dough:
300g strong white flour
1/2 tsp fine salt
200ml boiling water

Filling
500g butternut squash
1tsp olive oil
1 red onion
3tbsp quick-cook polenta
25g parmesan
1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
salt & pepper

Sauce
3 tbsp half-fat creme fraiche
handful basil leaves
2 big handfuls of baby spinach leaves
Chilli flakes

First make the dough. Sift the flour & mix in the salt & then stir in the boiling water with chopsticks until a ball forms. If the dough seems too wet add a bit more flour. If it's too dry add more water. Cover the dough & leave it to stand & cool for an hour. 
Preheat the oven to 200c. Peel the butternut squash & cut it into 4cm chunks. Toss them in oil, season & then roast in the oven for 25 minutes. Finely slice the red onion. Toss it in the remaining oil & add to the squash after the 25 min cooking time & cook for a further 10 minutes. 
Allow the veg to cool for 5 minutes, then add to a blender with the polenta & blitz it to make an orange puree. Set aside to cool for an hour, then stir in the parmesan & nutmeg. 
Place the dough on a lightly floured surface & knead for 5 minutes until it is very elastic. Roll the dough out very thinly & cut out circles using a pastry cutter - you can't re-roll this dough, so get as many as you can out of it in one go. 
Take a disc of dough & lay it flat in the palm of your hand. Place a heaped teaspoon of the filling in the middle, dip your finger in water & brush it around the edge. Fold the pastry over & press the edges firmly to form a semi-circle. 
Bring a saucepan of water to the boil. Drop the tortellini gently into the hot water & cook for 5 minutes until the pasta is tender. Drain & then tip the pasta back into the saucepan. Add the creme fraiche, basil & spinach leaves. Season well, add chilli flakes, then toss together over a low heat until the spinach wilts. 

Garlic, Spinach & Mushroom Pasta

Ingredients:

1 small bulb of garlic
olive oil
200g chestnut mushrooms
200g baby spinach leaves
200g low fat cream cheese
Plenty of freshly grated nutmeg
100ml low/reduced fat single cream
salt & pepper

Nestle the whole garlic bulb in a little foil & roast in a preheated oven, 200c for 35-45 minutes until it is tender when pierced with a knife.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large saucepan and gently fry the mushrooms until they are begining to brown. Add the spinach, cover with a lid and heat gently for a couple of minutes until the spinach has wilted.

Remove the roasted garlic from the oven, leave to cool slightly, then slice off the base and squeeze out the contents of each clove. Put this in a food processor with the cream cheese and nutmeg and blend until smooth.

Turn the garlic mixture into a saucepan, add the cream and heat gently, stirring with a wooden spoon, to make a smooth sauce. Add the mushrooms and spinach mixture and heat through. Season to taste with salt & pepper. Serve stirred through your favourite pasta.

Curried Butternut Squash Soup

Yummy, warming, filling & healthy - Does it get better than this?!

Ingredients:
1 butternut squash
2 onions
2 stock cubes (I use veggie) disolved in about a litre of water
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
fresh coriander (optional)

Preheat the oven to 220c. Chop up the squash & onions and put them in a roasting dish. Bake uncovered for 45 mins or until the squash is tender. Don't worry if some of the pieces get a bit browned - this will add to the roasted flavour of the soup.

Remove from the oven. Tip into a saucepan and add the stock. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Let it cool. Puree in batches in a blender or food processor.

Toast the curry powder in a small frying pan over a low heat until fragrant - be careful not to burn it. Stir into the pureed soup. Season to taste. I then garnish it with fresh coriander - because I love it - but I know some people are not so keen!

Enjoy!

Leek, Courgette & Cannellini Bake

Like everyone else on the planet I'm trying to be a bit healthier and lose a little bit of weight. Not loads, gotta keep those 1950s style curves! ;) However, after the excesses of Christmas (mainly cheese and wine related!) I feel I need to give my body a bit of a break!

This recipe is great for when you want to be mega healthy but also to feel full. 

 

You will need:
Spray oil
1 large leek, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove
1 tsp chilli powder or 1 fresh chilli
2 tomatoes, finely chopped
1/2 can cannellini beans
1tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 large baking potato, sliced
1 courgette, sliced
100ml vegetable stock
25g cheese grated

Preheat the oven to 220c. Heat the spray oil in a frying pan and cook the leek and garlic until softened. 

Stir in the chilli, then the tomatoes, beans and parsley.

Transfer to a small baking dish. Cook the sliced potato for 5 minutes, drain and spread across the leek mixture along with the courgette. Pour the stock into the dish.

Bake for 25 minutes. Then sprinkle with the cheese and cook for another 10 minutes.

Enjoy!