Eating in Season in February

February is a month of warming foods, cooking from the heart and cooking hearty meals.

In season just now:

Going out of season (still about but not as common) -

Cabbage, Cauliflower, Horseradish, Jerusalem artichoke, Leek, Parsnip, Swede, Truffle
Forced rhubarb, Rhubarb
Goose

Coming in/still in season ingredients -

Kale, Purple sprouting broccoli
Blood orange
Clams, Cockles, Mussels, Sea bass, Winkles
Venison

This is still an excellent time of year to get relatively cheap cauliflowers so make the most of it with wonderfully cosy cauliflower cheese or a flavour-packed cauliflower and potato curry!

We always have plenty of stews or one pot wonders at this time of year, buying up cheap cuts of meat and letting them cook for hours with vegetables is a simple but seriously tasty way to eat at this time of year - substitute lentils or other pulses for meat for a veggie option and you'll still feel filled and have a wonderfully flavourful meal.

Kale is another great ingredient in season just now and nothing could be simpler than popping it in a relatively low oven for 15 - 20 mins to dry out/crisp up for a real punch to your taste buds (in a very good way) :D

Soups are another cheap but tasty way to eat just now. A hearty broth or minestrone soup, served with cheese on toast is wonderful evening meal and is full of nutrients to help combat any bugs and colds floating about.

Good cooking :D


On another note, I have written 3 books. 2 are part of a series set in Scotland about the Sidhe, fairy folk. Available on kindle and in paperback: The Island of the Mist is book 2 The Stone in the Sword is book 1 The 3rd book is an adult, sexy witchy werewolf/vampire story set in New York and featuring a strong female lead character, again available in kindle and paperback formats: The Wolf, the Witch and the Coffin

Winter is on its way

Winter is almost upon us, and we are already craving comforting, warming foods. We want casseroles, stews, curries, one pot wonders. Anything warm and cosy that will make life feel good.

Celeriac is a wonderful root vegetable at this time and if you haven't tried it I strongly recommend it just now, while its in season. Here are a few recipe ideas: http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/search?keywords=celeriac

Another thing I love at this time of year is a pudding, or a scone, or a cake in the evening. One of my favourite cake/loaves is Date & Walnut and Nigella has a wonderful recipe for this: http://www.nigella.com/recipes/view/date-and-walnut-loaf-1748

Finally a word on thrift regarding winter warmers. We bought a whole rabbit from the butcher last weekend and made a wonderful stew with half of it but the bones were terrible! Please be aware that if you are having rabbit there are many, many bones, some of which are tiny but could make you choke so please be careful.

We also bought a very cheap piece of lamb - the rib. This, stewed or casseroled over 2 1/2 to 3 hours with onions, carrots, garlic, cayenne pepper, stock and bay leaves is simply divine. The meat melts off the bones. I have never been a fan of ribs until trying this and it was so good we are serving it to guests this weekend. Add potatoes in for a filling meal.

On a vegetarian note, puy lentils are a fantastic staple. They are highly versatile and very good for you, hold their shape far better than red or dahl lentils and can be used for chilli's, casseroles and anything else! They will take the boldest of flavours so don't be afraid to try new recipes.

This looks to be a winter of bad weather and cold and/or wet nights. Stay warm and well fed x


On another note, I have written 3 books. 2 are part of a series set in Scotland about the Sidhe, fairy folk. Available on kindle and in paperback: The Island of the Mist is book 2 The Stone in the Sword is book 1 The 3rd book is an adult, sexy witchy werewolf/vampire story set in New York and featuring a strong female lead character, again available in kindle and paperback formats: The Wolf, the Witch and the Coffin

One pot wonders

Beat the cold and keep spendage down with these fantastic one pot wonder ideas!

At this time of year, we want to keep as much money aside for christmas as possible. Spending money on food is a necessity but we can keep costs down by stewing/casseroling. This versatile type of cooking is packed with flavour, easy to do and saves money.

Rather than typing out a whole load of recipes, I thought it would be in everyone's interest to give links to websites with great one pot wonders instead! Some include slow cooker recipes. Please have a look at earlier posts, as some contain casseroles/stews :D

Good cooking!
Chicken and butternyt squash stew
Pot roast beef with red cabbage
Healthy one pot stew
Fife Miners stew
Garam Masala Chickpea stew