Winter Warmers

As the Christmas season approaches, we find ourselves reaching for those much-loved winter recipes to warm us up and remind us of home. Here at the food team, we wanted to get together and share our favourite winter warmers to help all of you welcome in the cold weather. Whether it be an unhealthy chocolate brownie that warms you up, or a vegetable pot pie, we’ve got a nice little selection to help you get creative in the kitchen.

Brownies

words by: Sasha Nugara

When first thinking of a warming dish, hot stews and soups often come to mind as the ultimate winter companion. However, I don’t think there’s anything better to warm you up than chocolate! It’s the ultimate comfort food and undeniably makes you feel good. Scientists have found that there are ingredients in chocolate that release endorphins; what warms you up better than a feeling of happiness? My brother’s brownie recipe is famous amongst my family and friends, so I thought I would give out some winter love and share it! These rich chocolate brownies can be warmed up and served with chocolate sauce and ice cream to create the perfect accompaniment to Christmas movie.

Ingredients: Method:

· 125g dark chocolate (broken up) · 175g butter · 3 large eggs · 275 caster sugar · 75g plain flour · 1 tsp baking powder · ¼ tsp salt 1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius 2. First put the chocolate and butter in a bowl over a pan containing 5cm of simmering water, without the bowl touching the water. When it’s melted, take it off the heat. 3. Whisk the eggs and sugar lightly together – do not overdo this. 4. Stir the egg mixture and all other mixtures into the chocolate. 5. Pour the mixture into a 20x26cm tin and bake in the centre of the oven for 35-40 minutes until springy in the middle (stick a skewer in to check its fully cooked) 6. Leave to cool in the tin to cool completely before dividing into squares. 7. To warm you up on a cold winters evening, heat in the microwave for 30 seconds and serve with a chocolate sauce!

Vegan Banana Bread

words by: Indigo Jones

Home cooking and family recipes are the foundations of the winter season. When you think of Christmas you think of traditions and cooking in the kitchen with your loved ones, so what better than a comforting recipe from my father. In our house there has always been a variety of dietary requirements, and over lockdown my mother and I took the big leap to become vegan. Luckily, in this time my father adapted his traditional banana bread recipe and made it vegan. This recipe is perfect for a quick breakfast or perhaps a nice accompaniment to a hot beverage when watching a film. Either way, banana bread is both hearty and comforting and is easy to make on these cold Winter days.

Ingredients:

· 3 large black bananas · 75ml vegetable oil or sunflower oil · 100g brown sugar · 225g plain flour (or use self-raising flour and reduce the baking powder to 2 heaped tsp) · 3 heaped tsp baking powder Optional ingredients: · Dried fruit · Nuts · Dark Chocolate · Cinnamon/mixed spice

Method:

1. Pre heat the oven to 200C degrees. Then Mash the peeled bananas with a fork, then mix with your choice of oil and the brown sugar. 2. Add the plain flour followed by 3 heaped tsp baking powder and combine well. Now is the time to put your own twist on the recipe, add in your choice of ingredients, whether that be dark chocolate, nuts or fruit. My personal favourite combination is both dark chocolate and walnuts. 3. Upon finishing the mixture, bake in an oiled, lined loaf tin for 20 minutes. 4. After checking the status of the banana bread, bake for another 20 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean. 5. Allow to cool before cutting into slices. It has a tendency to go quite moist and stodgy, but that’s what makes it so comforting. 6. Enjoy with a cuppa!

Pot Pie

words by: Hannah Penwright

Winter dishes have got to be warming, comforting, and filling to satisfy, and a pot pie is guaranteed to tick all those boxes. Using shop bought puff pastry is much quicker and simpler than making the pastry from scratch, so you’ll have dinner ready in no time at all and it’ll still taste amazing (don’t worry- we won’t tell if you don’t). It’s really easy to make the pies vegan: simply use plant-based milk and make sure the puff pastry is dairy-free. If you do fancy some meat, fry a couple of boneless chicken thighs until fully cooked and add to the filling before baking. I like to serve the pot pies with roasted seasonal vegetables, bought locally if possible. In the winter months, parsnips and squash are delicious options.

Ingredients:

(Serves four people) 1. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan and add the leek, onion, carrot and

· 1 tbsp olive oil · 1 leek · 1 onion, finely diced · 1 medium carrot, diced · 2 garlic cloves, minced · 2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced · 200g mushrooms, sliced · 40g plain flour · 350ml vegetable stock · 240ml milk (plant-based or dairy) · 1 head broccoli, cut into small florets · 300g petit pois · Salt and pepper · 1 tsp mixed herbs · 1 sheet puff pastry

Method:

· Beaten egg or milk, to glaze garlic cloves. Fry on a medium heat until softened, for about 10 minutes. 2. Add the potatoes and mushrooms, and fry for a further 5 minutes. 3. Sprinkle over the plain flour and cook out for 2 minutes, stirring well. 4. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C/ 180 fan. 5. Add in the vegetable stock and milk, stirring constantly until smooth. Simmer for 10 minutes. 6. Stir in the petit pois and broccoli florets and season with salt, pepper and mixed herbs. 7. Divide the filling into the ramekins (or 1 large ovenproof dish) and cover with the puff pastry, pressing down at the edges. Score the top and brush with the beaten egg or milk. 8. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden and the filling is bubbling. 9. Serve immediately with your favourite vegetables.