Tag: autumn

Spiced Pumpkin & Lentil Soup

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Soup with a delicious autumnal twist making the most out of seasonal pumpkins which are being carved up for Halloween.

Sadly, over half the pumpkins carved at Halloween are under-utilised. The flesh and seeds of carving pumpkins are all edible, even once they have been carved. Pumpkins are a great source of beta-carotene, the precursor to vitamin A as suggested by the gorgeous golden-orange hue of the flesh and, in most cases, skins. A word of caution, if your pumpkin happens to have green skin your soup will adopt a “chip shop curry sauce” colour. Don’t worry, it will still be equally delicious!

If you don’t have any pumpkins hanging around you can substitute butternut squash or sweet potato as an alternative. These vegetables are still high in beta-carotene, an antioxidant that has previously been shown to help reduce the risk of heart disease and certain cancers.

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 2 large onions, roughly chopped
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 4 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
  • 3 tsp ground cumin
  • 2 tsp ground turmeric
  • 1 tsp dried chilli, or to taste
  • 200g red lentils
  • 500g pumpkin, skin on and roughly diced
  • 200ml coconut milk
  • 10g stock powder
  • 15g fresh coriander, finely sliced

Method

  • Gently fry the onion and oil in a large pan till soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for a further 2 minutes.
  • Add the dried spices and cook till fragrant before adding in the remaining ingredients with 1 litre of boiling water.
  • Allow to simmer for 20 minutes till the lentils and pumpkin are cooked through and soft.
  • Blend till smooth and serve.

Per serving: 447kcal/ 18.6g fat/ 2.3g saturated fat/ 50.7g carbohydrates/ 7.6g fibre/ 16.4g protein

Pumpkin and Sage Pearl Barley Risotto

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All the autumn flavours in this alternative risotto using pumpkin and sage. Technically, I am using a squash, Crown Price squash to be precise, but any pumpkin or firm squash will work in its place.

While I am always a fan of leaving skins of fruits and vegetables for the increased fibre and reduced time for cooking, I have removed the skin from this particular pumpkin as it is quite tough and would certainly draw attention away from the dish itself. If I were to replace the pumpkin with butternut squash I would leave the skin on. This can be done to your own personal preference.

Speaking of fibre, swapping traditional risotto rice for quick-cook pearl barley not only saves you time of cooking and stirring for a traditional risotto, but it also increases the fibre content of the dish. Replacing the pearl barley with white risotto rice would reduce the fibre content down by 4g per serving! That’s almost half the total fibre content of the dish. Pearl barley also stays a bit more al dente, which means the overall dish has a lovely firm bite which I particularly enjoy.

If you need to adapt to a dairy free version, substitute the butter for olive oil, and either omit the cheese or use a dairy-free alternative or you can use nutritional yeast for a slight cheesy flavour.

Serves 2

Ingredients

  • 1 large onion, finely diced
  • 15ml extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed and chopped
  • 100g quick cook pearl barley
  • 175ml dry white wine (optional to replace with water)
  • 10g stock powder
  • 20g parmesan
  • 250g pumpkin, skin peeled and cut into 1cm cubes
  • 5ml extra virgin olive oil
  • 20g butter
  • 10 large sage leaves (or 20 small leaves)

Method

  • Gently fry the onion with 15ml olive oil over a low heat till transluscent and soft. Add the garlic and cook for a further 2 minutes.
  • Bring 350ml water up to the boil in a saucepan and add the stock, keep on a low heat.
  • Add the pearl barley to the onions and toast for 2 minutes. Add the white wine and stir to help release some of the starch.
  • Take a separate large frying pan and add 5ml oil and 15g butter. Once the butter has melted add the pumpkin. Allow to brown slowly over a medium heat, stirring frequently.
  • When the wine is almost absorbed add a ladleful of hot stock, and repeat till almost all the stock has been absorbed. Check the pearly barley is cooked, but still with some bite. This should take 10-12 minutes.
  • Once the risotto is almost cooked, move the pumpkin to one side of the pan, add the remaining 5g of butter to the now clear side and fry the sage leaves for 2 minute till crisp and fragrant.
  • Remove the risotto from the heat and add half of the sage and pumpkin to the risotto with the parmesan and stir through.
  • Dish up and serve with the remaining pumpkin and sage over the top.

Per serving: 549kcal/ 22.1g fat/ 9.0g saturated fat/ 54.5g carbohydrates/ 8.5g fibre/ 12.9g protein

Squash, Kale and Ricotta Baked Shells

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Seasonal autumnal butternut squash, roasted to maximise the flavour. Leaving the skin on the squash increases the fibre content, so don’t be tempted to peel! It’ll save you time, keep your gut bacteria happy, and increase the flavour of the whole dish as it caramelises in the over from its first roasting!

I like to leave everything a little chunky, this way you can actually see what you’re eating, whether it be the creamy ricotta, soft butternut squash or kale. The final topping of mozzarella gives a lovely golden hue to the whole dish, as well as giving some lovely texture which I always can’t resist to leave to the final mouthful.

This dish is perfect for wowing a crowd at a dinner party. It can happily sit in the fridge for a day or two, and by cooking the pasta in advance and allowing it to cool in the present of oil, you increase the fibre content through the formation of something called resistant starch. So don’t be afraid to prepare in advance and then whip out at a later date (even if it’s just for a mid-week dinner!). Alternatively, assemble the dish bar the final crown of mozzarella and you can freeze portions which can be cooked at a later date.

Serves 5

Recipe

  • 500g Butternut Squash, skin on and cubed
  • 200g giant pasta shells
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 120g kale, sliced
  • 1 tsp rapeseed oil
  • 2 large onions, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 350g rough passata
  • 500g ricotta
  • ¼ nutmeg, grated
  • 1 ball mozzarella

Method

  • Set the oven to 150°C fan/160°C convection. Place the butternut squash on a roasting tray and cook for 20 minutes till golden brown. Turn the oven up to 180°C.
  • Meanwhile, cook the pasta for 2 minutes less than the packet instructions. Drain and mix the olive oil over to stop the shells from sticking.
  • Steam the kale over boiling water for 4 minutes.
  • In a large ovenproof dish, gently sauté the onions in rapeseed oil over a low heat. Once soft add the garlic, cook for a further minute before adding the passata and cook till reduce by a third.
  • Meanwhile, mix the ricotta and nutmeg together and season to taste with salt and pepper. Break up the roasted squash roughly, add to the ricotta mix with the kale. Stuff the pasta shells with the mixture.
  • Off the heat, arrange the stuffed shells into the dish and top each shell with mozzarella.
  • Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes till golden brown and bubbly.
  • Delicious served with roasted vegetables or a side salad.

Per serving 417kcal/ 20.0g fat/ 9.3g saturated fat/ 34.6g carbohydrates/ 5.0g fibre/ 18.6g protein

Roasted Butternut Squash, Carrot and Chickpea Soup

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Autumn is upon us, so therefore so is soup season. I always enjoy a good bowl of hot soup on a crisp cold Autumn day, but sometimes I find myself wondering how to get the protein in for the meal. Using beans, pulses or lentils is a great way to include some protein in a soup meal.

In an effort to save time and reduce food waste I don’t peel the squash or carrots. Instead I scrub them before removing the tops and tail. The skin is easily blended into the soup and will contribute to some of the fibre content. What is not to love?

Any leftover soup can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Alternatively, this soup freezes really well so you can make a large batch of this to pull out when you need a quick lunch.

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 400g butternut squash, cut into 1″ cubes
  • 400g carrots, cut into 1″ pieces
  • 1 large onion, cut into 1″ pieces
  • 4 clove of garlic, skin on
  • 1 tin of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1 stock cube of choice

Method

  • Preheat the oven to 180°C fan/ 190°C convection.
  • Mix all of the ingredients, except the stock cube, in a large roasting tin. Roast in the oven for 1 hour, stirring half way through.
  • Boil 900ml of water and add the stock cube.
  • Remove the garlic cloves from their skins and add the roasted vegetables to the stock.
  • Blend the soup to the consistency of choice and serve.

Per serving: 276kcal/ 11.5g fat/ 1.7g saturated fat/ 32.7g carbohydrates/ 8.0g fibre/ 7.0g protein

Green Kale Fritters

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I’ve got so much kale growing at the allotment. Both curly kale and Cavolo Nero. I love them both, and I believe they both have their place in particular dishes. These fritters, however, will benefit from any type of kale you grow or can buy in the shops. Alternatively, if you don’t have kale you could use other green leafy vegetables such as cabbage, spinach, Swiss Chard or spring greens.

I also use frozen peas and edamame beans. Much cheaper and handy as they are kept in the freezer ready for use whenever you want. Frozen vegetables can also often have higher nutrient content as they are picked at their peak and then frozen within hours, locking in nutrients that may be lost otherwise.

If you need to make gluten-free fritters, use gram flour or rice flour instead of wholemeal flour. I use wholemeal because it helps with the fibre content of the fritters, but also is something I keep in the cupboard as a staple. The flour’s role in the fritters is just to help bind them together. When I didn’t add the flour in during recipe testing they fritters were extremely fragile and would easily fall apart. While they tasted great, I thought they were too difficult to handle.

These fritters are delicious simply served with a wedge of lemon and some salad leaves of choice. Serving with the lemon after cooking adds vitamin C which can help your absorb the plant-based iron from the beans and kale. You could add any other toppings of your choice such as a poached egg to make the perfect brunch, or top with hummus, guacamole, soured cream or your favourite sauce.

Makes 8 fritters

Ingredients

  • 150g kale, finely sliced
  • 75g frozen peas, defrosted
  • 75g frozen edamame beans, defrosted
  • 250g ricotta
  • 3 large eggs
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • 8-10 mint leaves, finely sliced
  • 15g parsley, finely sliced
  • 1/2 a nutmeg, grated
  • 30g wholemeal flour, or if making gluten-free gram flour or rice flour
  • 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil

To serve

  • Salad leaves of choice
  • Lemon wedges
  • Poached egg (optional)

Method

  • Place the sliced kale into a large bowl. Boil the kettle and pour over the kale to blanch for 30 seconds before draining and running under cold water to maintain the bright green colouring. Drain as much water from the kale.
  • In a separate large bowl add the peas and edamame beans and crush before adding all the remaining ingredients except the flour.
  • Add the kale and mix to distribute throughout the batter. Add the flour and mix.
  • Preheat large frying pan and heat over a medium heat with 1 tsp oil.
  • Take a heaped spoonful of batter and place into the pan to form a fritter. Cook in batches for 2-3 minutes per side till golden brown.
  • Serve the fritters with fresh pea shoots and lemon wedge, and optional top with a poached egg.

Per 2 fritters: 232kcal/ 13.7g fat/ 5.0g saturated fat/ 10.9g carbohydrates/ 4.1g fibre/ 15.5g protein