Cheap Eats from The Food Wife

CHEAP EATS

This month FRAN STEVENS, aka The Food Wife, offers up some delicious inexpensive meals to try this autumn - they all take 30 mins or less to make too!!

MUSHROOM & SPINACH CURRY

Serves 6

This curry is vegan and gluten-free so suitable for a range of dietary requirements. It’s also super tasty and warming so ideal for these cooler autumn evenings. Make sure you only add the spinach at the very end to ensure it keeps its bright green colour.

For a creamier curry, replace the creamed coconut block/vegetable stock mix with a 400g tin of coconut milk, and make up to 700ml with vegetable stock or water.

Ingredients 1 tbsp coconut oil 1 white onion, thinly sliced 650g mushrooms, cleaned & halved 2 inches of ginger, grated 1 tbsp ground cumin 1 tbsp ground coriander 1 cinnamon stick 5 tomatoes, roughly chopped 150g red split lentils 700ml vegetable stock (vegan/gf if required) 75g creamed coconut block (added into the vegetable stock) 200g spinach (fresh / frozen) Salt to taste Method Begin by gently frying the onions in the coconut oil, until soft. Next add the mushrooms and allow them to cook a little, soaking up any of the remaining oil.

Stir in the ginger and ground spices and cook out for a minute. Next add the tomatoes and lentils, giving everything a good stir, then pour in the vegetable/coconut stock. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook until the lentils are soft (about 20 minutes).

Finish by adding the spinach. If using fresh add a handful at a time and allow it to wilt into the curry, before adding the next handful, and so on. Season to taste with salt and then it is ready to serve with rice or flat breads.

SWEET POTATO, SQUASH & RED LENTIL SOUP

Serves 8

This is a big vat of soup which is simple to make but warming on these cold days. It is lightly spiced, packed full of vegetables and pulses and when blended has a lovely and smooth, almost velvety consistency.

The soup is gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan so it is suitable for a range of diets and is also fairly low on calories too (I worked it out to be below 200 calories a portion).

Ingredients 2 tbsp oil 1 white onion, roughly chopped 1 tbsp ground cumin 1 tsp ground ginger 700g sweet potato, peeled and roughly cut into large dice 400g butternut squash, peeled and roughly cut into large dice 250g red lentils 2 litres vegetable stock Salt and pepper to taste

Method Heat a large pan on a medium heat and add the oil and onion. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add the spices and stir, cook for about 30 seconds and then add the vegetables, lentils and stock.

Bring to a simmer and then cover with a lid and cook until the vegetables are softened and the lentils are soft (about 25-30 minutes).

Blend until smooth and then season to taste.

SWEET PEPPER SAUCE

Serves 4-6

Often in supermarkets you’ll find bumper bags of peppers, which are smaller or misshapen and so are sold in bulk at a much cheaper price. Usually there will be a plethora of green peppers in these bags, but the other day I found ones full of red and yellow peppers. I knew exactly what I was going to do with them; make a versatile sweet pepper sauce that would be the perfect accompaniment to pasta, or lamb, or a firm white fish.

Here is the recipe; it can be scaled up or down as necessary and it can be portioned up and frozen. We had it stirred through pasta and adorned with pieces of soft goats cheese and fresh basil. It was really delicious. I’m looking forward to the next time I find such a bag, as I’ll definitely be making this again!

Ingredients 2 tbsp olive oil 1 red onion, finely sliced Approx. 700g peppers, halved, deseeded, cut into thin strips 3 cloves garlic, crushed/minced 2 tsp dried oregano 2 tsp sweet paprika 3 tomatoes, cut into small dice 1 tin of tomatoes, chopped A pinch of sugar 1 tsp red wine vinegar Salt and pepper

Method Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and add the onion. Cook gently for five minutes, stirring occasionally.

Next add the peppers and continue to cook and stir for 20 minutes.

Stir through the garlic, herbs and spices and cook for a further five minutes.

Add both types of tomatoes, along with the vinegar, sugar and seasoning and cook for 10 more minutes.

• thefoodwife.co.uk

Award Winning, Family Run Farm Shop Established for over 40 years Selling Quality Local Produce Open 7 days a week HOME & LOCALLY REARED FRESH MEAT, POULTRY & GAME HOMEMADE SAUSAGES, BURGERS & FAGGOTS Christmas Orders Now Being Taken

LOCAL CHEESES & HOME COOKED MEATS LOCALLY GROWN VEGETABLES, FRUIT & SALADS HOMEMADE CAKES & PIES LOCALLY MADE CHOCOLATES & FUDGE FINE WINE, LOCAL ALE & CIDER PRESERVES & CHUTNEYS GIFT HAMPERS

www.allingtonfarmshop.co.uk TEL: 01249 658112 Allington Bar Farm, Chippenham, SN14 6LJ

Artisan Grocery & Coffee Shop at Bradford On Avon Marina

Come and find us for great quality coffee, tasty food and local produce - all of which comes from no further than 30 miles from the Pantry.

Bradford on Avon Marina, Trowbridge Rd, Bradford on Avon BA15 1UD 07919 910862 // noahspantry.co.uk // fi