Wednesday 27 January 2016

A Healthy Winter Warmer

A Healthy Winter Warmer

After weeks of what can only be described as incessant and torrential rainfall, we had a drier colder week.  At last!  Okay, it didn’t last long and another storm in on the way, but at least we got a short break from the dampness that has virtually become the norm.  

Crisp, beautiful sunny mornings lift our mood and lightens our spirit.  The light changes as it bounces off the icy paths and trees, children get excited at the prospect of snow and days off school, and evenings cosying up by the fire totally are enjoyed. I noticed that some local children ventured up to the hills to enjoy some snow last week, I didn’t have the time, last week, but I wont be missing out next time, if it snows again you’ll know where to find me, and I wont be at The Pumpkin Patch!!

If there was ever an excuse to enjoy comfort food, it’s now.  Post christmas, and in the depths of winter.  Add the depressing thought of paying for the Christmas credit card bill and the longest gap between pay packets, and I think you’ll agree that we really do need something comforting to keep us going.  That said, it would be a great shame to suddenly compromise all that hard dieting and exercise regime that we set about after Christmas, so what better way to enjoy the cold winter weather, than with something warming and filling yet wholesome and healthy. 





This weeks recipe is so simple, but it’s so tasty and uses up all those leftover pieces of cheese that you may have cluttering the fridge since Christmas. It’s now time to clear out the fridge and to also use up all the leftover pickles and chutneys. 

To start, bake a few large jacket potatoes in the oven. If you usually use the microwave for jackets, I dare toy to try the oven this time! If you  must, start them in the microwave and then pop them into the oven to crips up. Proper baked potatoes are so good, fluffy potato and crisp skin is a great start to a simple mid week meal or snack. The slower baking process, compared to the sudden microwave equivalent, even fills the house with a gorgeous aroma of healthy food! 

Once cooked, allow them to cool a little then, scoop out the potato, add a dollop of butter and add some of your favourite salad flavours. Add a combination of spring onions, chopped tomatoes, sweetcorn, peas, bacon pieces, mix them well with the potato, add a little seasoning and top the empty skins with your colourful mixture of goodness! Cover with a combination of different  leftover cheeses, they can be either grated or chopped, and return to the oven to warm through, crisp up and melt the cheese. 

Serve with a good portion of home made ‘salw' - the posh name for coleslaw! We’ll call this one Red Cabbage and Onion Slaw as its made with… you’ve guessed it, red cabbage and red onion! Enjoy!