FIFE D IET D ECEM BER R ECIPE IDEAS

Win ter V egetable Sou p ( On e Chun ky, On e S moo th)

Raspb erry Porri dg e
Stir Frie d W in ter V eg
Gar li c Mashe d Po ta toes
Rose mary Po tato We d ges
Mea t Fre e Gravy
Sp icy Gre en E gg Mamb o
Cream of Bruss els Spr out Sou p
Sausa ges , Cabba ge & Mustard

WINTE R VE GE TA BLE S OUP ( ONE CH UNK Y, ONE SM OOTH )

tablesp oon ra p esee d/o liv e oi l

6 fenu gre ek se e ds
1 onio n ( cho pp e d)

3 carro ts (rou ghly cho p pe d)

3 lar ge parsn ips (rough ly chop p ed )
½ tur ni p (rou ghly cho p pe d)
2 po tatoes pe eled/s crubbe d & cho p pe d

1 cu p re d le n tils , wash ed
2.5 – 3 li tres ho t sto c k or water
salt & p e pp er to tas te
fresh parsley to serve

Soften the onion with the oil and fenugreek in a large heavy based soup pot (or use a pressure cooker).
Add the chopped vegetables and allow to mellow on a low heat for 5 minutes while you stir occasionally.
Add the hot stock or water, salt & pepper and lentils.
Cook until the lentils are cooked and vegetables tender. Add more hot water/stock as required.

Serve and eat half today.

Then of the remaining you can either freeze as it is i.e. chunky vegetable soup, or blend whilst still warm – the
blended soup will have a stronger parsnip flavour – and freeze in plastic bags. When re-heating from frozen,
allow to defrost and as you reheat add a little hot water or stock to thin it down.

RA SPB ER RY P OR RID G E

This uses frozen summer berries to brighten up the winter mornings.

your usual porr id g e mi x
a lar ge ha ndfu l of froz en ras pberri es (you c an use a ny mi x of berri es)
1 teas poo n fife ho ney
a li ttle crea m to serve (o ption al)

Make your porridge as usual but with about a cup more water.
Add a big lump/ a large handful of frozen berries once the porridge is nearly cooked and keep stirring while the
berries begin to melt. I like to bash out all the lumps for a very smooth consistency.
I also like to add a teaspoon of honey to the pot.

Serve hot and add a tiny splash of cream if you like.

Send your recipe ideas to fifediet@yahoo.co.uk Page 1

FIFE D IET D ECEM BER R ECIPE IDEAS

STIR FRIE D WIN TE R VE G

Prepare all the veg first then start cooking…

2 tables poo ns rap ese ed or o liv e oi l

1 onio n
2 cloves of garlic
curly kale, s ta lks re mov ed & shre dd e d
a mix ture of r ed/ gr ee n/whi te cabba ge , shre dd e d
spi nach , rou ghly cho pp e d,
char d, rou ghly cho p pe d
a li ttle soy sau ce & /or sesa m e oi l
a han dful of nu ts/se e ds – or rolle d oa ts (o p ti ona l)

Heat the oil in a wok. Add the onion & garlic and soften.
Add the vegetables: carrots, kale & cabbage first and once they have begun to cook add the spinach and chard.
Put a lid on the wok as you stir fry. Add a little sesame oil, soy sauce or dried chilli as you wish.
In a separate pan, gently toast any nuts or seeds you have such as pine nuts, cashews and sesame. Do each nut
separately to avoid burning and set aside. Alternatively you can toast some rolled oats in the same manner.
When the greens are cooked through serve topped with the toasted nuts/seeds/oats.

G ARLIC MA SH ED P OT AT OE S

I overheard this in a shop changing room last year. The woman, on her mobile, also gave the other person
detailed instructions on how to actually peel the potatoes and boil them. I won’t go into that here – the whole
thing took hours, but in real life it is quite easy.
as many po ta toes as you ne ed
about ¾ pi n t of mi lk
3 – 10 garli c cloves
sea salt
oil or bu tter

Peel your potatoes as usual and put in a pan with say 2/3 cold water and 1/3 milk so that the potatoes are
covered. Peel and squash with a flat knife between three and ten garlic coves depending on how garlicky you
like things. The flavour of the garlic comes out mellow though, so don’t worry too much about it being overly
pungent. Add the garlic cloves to the pan, with a little salt. Cover and bring to the boil, then reduce heat and
simmer for a further 20 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked.

Drain the potatoes – but keep the cooking liquid. Start to mash the potatoes and garlic together adding the
cooking liquid as needed. Add salt and pepper to taste and a little oil or butter if you like.

RO SE MA RY P OT ATO WE D GE S

po tatoes , scrubbe d
rosemary
oliv e oi l
salt & p e pp er

Cut the potatoes into even wedges by cutting in half then standing each half on its end and making the wedges
from there. Add the potatoes to a pan of cold water, bring to the boil and then boil for three minutes. Place 2
baking trays in the oven to heat them. Drain, and place the wedges in a large bowl. Add the finely chopped
rosemary, some salt, pepper and olive oil and use your hands to coat the potatoes with the oil and herbs. Tip the
wedges onto the hot baking trays ( you should hear a sizzle) and return to the hot oven. After 20 minutes take
out and turn over, and return for another 20 minutes or until golden all over.

Send your recipe ideas to fifediet@yahoo.co.uk Page 2

FIFE D IET D ECEM BER R ECIPE IDEAS

ME AT F RE E G R AVY

I love gravy and it always seems like a bit of a treat to have it. This is how I make a meat free gravy which you
can tweak to go with more or less anything. Don’t put in anything you don’t like and add or take away as
required or depending on what you have to hand. Just keep tasting as you go along and it usually works out
fine.

1 – 2 tab les poo ns of oi l – o live or ra p esee d

one lar ge o nio n
one or two clov es g arli c
the n a co mbi na tio n of: a pi n ch of dri e d mi x ed herbs or thym e, cho p pe d fresh herbs lik e parsley
or rosemary , p e pp er, s ea salt a nd a te aspo o n of mar igo ld boui llo n
a splash of win e (o ptio nal)
1 - 2 teasp oons of soy sau ce
1 - 2 cu ps boi le d wa ter
cornf lour (o p tio na l)

Warm your pan with 1 – 2 tablespoons of oil – olive or rapeseed. Finely slice two small or one large onion and
crush one or two cloves garlic. Add to the pan and allow to caramelise. Add to this base whatever flavours you
like…a pinch of dried mixed herbs or thyme, chopped fresh herbs like parsley or rosemary, pepper, sea salt and
a teaspoon of Marigold Bouillon. If you have any wine about add a splash too. Add about 1 -2 teaspoons of soy
sauce to give a good colour then add some freshly boiled water – try adding one cups worth to begin with and
leave to simmer on a gentle heat for 10 – 15 minutes. Check the seasoning and add more water if it’s too strong.
Once you’re happy with the flavour blend till smooth.

If you don’t want to blend it then whisk in some corn-flour towards the end and up the water a little.

SPICY GR EEN EG G M A MBO

Try this quick dish for breakfast or lunch – and make it as spicy as you like. The smoked paprika goes well with
the eggs. Serves 2

4 fresh orga ni c e g gs
some mi lk
oliv e or rap ese ed o il or bu tter
onio n
garli c
chi lli or smo ke d p apr ika
2 lar ge ha ndfu ls seaso na l gr ee ns, wash ed a nd fi ne ly shre dd e d (e g. leeks , chard , sp in ach, ka le
or a mix ture )
gra te d ch ed dar che ese
salt & p e pp er

Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan. Add the thinly sliced onion and garlic. Cook till golden. Add the chilli
and whatever greens you have. The amount of time needed for the greens to cook will depend on what you are
using – you want them to be wilted and soft. Meanwhile beat the eggs together and add about 1/4 of their
volume again in milk. Season.

Once the onions are cooked pour over the beaten egg mix and gently stir as they set. Add the grated cheese –
you don’t need a lot. And once the eggs are cooked serve with toast, bread, rolls or oatcakes.

Send your recipe ideas to fifediet@yahoo.co.uk Page 3

FIFE D IET D ECEM BER R ECIPE IDEAS

CRE AM OF B RU SS EL S SPR OUT SO UP

2oz butter
one o nio n, cho p pe d
2 me diu m p otato es, pe ele d an d cub e d
Brussels s prouts fro m two sta lks (yie ldi ng j ust un der 1 lb) , tri m me d
leav es from the to p of the s prou ts, shre d de d
1.5 pin t ho t sto ck
½ pi n t m ilk
salt & p e pp er
¼ teas poo n freshly gra te d nu tme g
¼ teas poo n gr oun d clov es
crea m to serve

Serves six as a starter. Melt the butter in a heavy based soup pan and add the chopped onion and potatoes. Fry
on a gentle heat for about 10 minutes before adding the shredded leafy tops of your sprout stalk along with the
sprouts. To prepare the sprouts, twist off from the main stem, cut away any excess stalk and the outer leaves.
Add the stock, milk, nutmeg, ground cloves & seasoning to the pan. Bring to the boil, cover and reduce heat to a
gentle simmer for about 10 - 20 minutes or until the potatoes and sprouts are cooked. Remove from the heat,
allow to cool down a little before blending till smooth. Add a swirl of cream to each bowl before serving. A
surprising hit with the kids… just don’t tell them what it is…

*Adjust the amount of water & milk according to how many sprouts you have.

SA U S AG E S, C ABB A GE AN D M US TA R D

This is a delicious Winter supper - totally easy and quick! This is heavy on the cabbage too – and I say cook as
much cabbage as you can – you can always keep the extra to use with something tomorrow.

sausag es – try a ny of pu d dledub ’s varie ti es, and allow 2/3 per pers on
cabba ge – w orks we ll w ith a ll gr ee n an d sav oy cabba ge . use two sm all or on e lar ge – you want to
allow p le nty per perso n .
caraway s ee ds
your favourite mus tar d
salt & p e pp er
butter

For the Sausa ges :

Fry the sausages over a medium-high heat, in a tiny bit of oil, in a large frying pan, until nicely browned.

For the Cabb ag e:

Once the sausages are underway prepare the cabbage. Remove the outer leaves, cut in half and cut out the
coarse middle. Finely shred the cabbage and wash in a colander under running water. Put the cabbage in a
lidded pot with enough water to allow a couple of centimetres to cover the base of the pan. Sprinkle over a
generous teaspoon of caraway seeds. Put the lid on and steam till just tender – but leaving a bit of bite. Drain the
water off and return to the pan adding a knob of butter if you like. Put the lid on to keep warm till you need it.

To Ea t:
Place a large mountain of cabbage on each plate, season with salt and pepper and then place 2 or 3 sausages on
top, and a good dollop of mustard on the side. Depending on how hungry you are you might want to have some
bread with this too – or maybe pudding instead.

Send your recipe ideas to fifediet@yahoo.co.uk Page 4