Waste-Less Winter Recipes


We feel like one of the best things about winter is the food! Warming, comforting and filled with flavour to help get you through the dark evenings. As always, we’re trying to source the most ethically minded inspiration, so have gathered together a few recipes that require the least amount of single use plastic, and can be sourced at local grocery stores. Have a look at our favourite, earth-friendly winter warmers…

Gingery Carrot and Sweet Potato Soup

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 large yellow onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, sliced

1 to 1 1/2-inch piece of ginger, minced

1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1/2-inch cubes

3/4 pound carrots, sliced

3 cups vegetable broth

1 teaspoon ground coriander (optional)

1 cup chopped cauliflower florets*

salt, to taste

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

Method

1. Heat a large heavy-bottomed pot with the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and let them cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Next, add the garlic and ginger and sauté for another minute.

2. Add the sweet potatoes, carrots, broth, and coriander (if using), cover the pot and bring everything to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer the soup for another 5 to 7 minutes, until the sweet potatoes are fork tender.

3. Turn off the heat, remove the lid and add the chopped cauliflower florets to the pot. Let the soup sit for about 10 minutes.

4. Transfer everything to a high-speed blender and blend until smooth. You may need to do this in batches.

5. Return the soup to the pot. Season with salt to taste (I added about 1 teaspoon of kosher salt). Add 1/8 teaspoon of cayenne pepper if you want a hint of spice. I like eating the soup at about this temperature. If you want it hotter, warm the soup at medium heat for a few minutes.

6 Serve the soup in bowls and top with coconut milk, sliced scallions, and red pepper flakes, if desired.

Veggie Casserole

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp olive or rapeseed oil
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, sliced
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tbsp dried thyme
  • 3 medium carrots, sliced
  • 2 medium celery sticks, finely sliced
  • 1 red pepper, chopped
  • 1 yellow pepper, chopped
  • 1 x 400g canned tomatoes or peeled cherry tomatoes
  • 1 veg stock cube
  • 2 courgettes, sliced thickly
  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 250g cooked lentils

Method

  1. Heat 1 tbsp olive or rapeseed oil in a large, heavy-based pan. Add 1 finely chopped onion and cook gently for 5 – 10 mins until softened.
  2. Add 3 sliced garlic cloves, 1 tsp smoked paprika, ½ tsp ground cumin, 1 tbsp dried thyme, 3 sliced carrots, 2 finely sliced celery sticks, 1 chopped red pepper and 1 chopped yellow pepper and cook for 5 minutes.
  3. Add two 400g cans tomatoes, 250ml vegetable stock (made with 1 stock pot), 2 thickly sliced courgettes and 2 sprigs fresh thyme and cook for 20 - 25 minutes.
  4. Take out the thyme sprigs. Stir in 250g cooked lentils and bring back to a simmer. Serve with wild and white basmati rice, mash or quinoa.

Chocolate Pudding

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup (12oz/360g) coconut cream

1/2 cup (2oz/60g) unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted

6 tablespoons maple syrup

2 teaspoons vanilla extract , optional

1/4 teaspoon salt

Method

1. In a saucepan over low heat, whisk together the coconut cream, cocoa powder and maple syrup.

2. Continue to cook and stir over low to medium heat for about 2 minutes, or until the mixture just begins to come to a boil.

3. Remove from the heat and stir in the salt and vanilla.

4. Pour the mixture into individual bowls to chill and set. Cover and refrigerate until set, or overnight for a thick creamy pudding.

5. Serve with coconut whipped cream to compliment the chocolate pudding.

Black Bean Burger

Ingredients

  • ½ a red onion
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • 1 fresh red chilli
  • 2 spring onions
  • 1 x 400 g tin black beans
  • 100 g fresh breadcrumbs
  • 1 lemon
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons natural yoghurt
  • 80 g baby kale
  • 30 g rocket
  • olive oil
  • 1 ripe beef tomato
  • 75 g mozzarella cheese
  • 2 wholemeal buns

Method

1. Peel the onion, finely slice into rounds and place in a small bowl with the balsamic and a pinch of sea salt. Set aside.

2. Halve, deseed and finely chop the chilli. Trim and finely chop the spring onions. Place both in a mixing bowl. Drain the beans and pat dry with kitchen paper. Add to the bowl, along with the breadcrumbs.

3. Season, then scrunch the bean mixture together with clean hands. Divide into 3 balls, flatten into patties and place 2 in the fridge to chill for 10 minutes (wrap and freeze the spare for another day).

4. In a small bowl, combine half the lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil and the yoghurt. Season well. Trim the kale and mix into the dressing with the rocket. Put aside.

5. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a non-stick pan over a medium heat. When the pan is hot, fry the burgers for 4 minutes on each side, or until golden. If they colour too quickly, reduce the heat.

6. Slice the tomato and mozzarella into rounds and open the buns.

7. When the burgers are almost cooked, top each one with mozzarella. Cover the burgers with a lid for 2 minutes to melt the cheese.

8. Set another pan over a high heat and warm the bun halves, cut-side down, for 2 minutes or until toasted.

9. Lift the onions out of the balsamic with a fork.

10. Pop slices of tomato on each bun base, and a burger on top. Top with the balsamic onions and the bun lid. Serve the kale salad alongside.

Veggie Christmas Roast

Ingredients

3 tbsp olive oil

1 green pepper, very finely chopped

1 leek, very finely chopped

1 carrot, very finely chopped

1 onion, very finely chopped

1 celery stick, very finely chopped

300g field mushrooms, very finely diced

1 large egg, lightly beaten

200g vegetarian Cheddar, grated

110g dried breadcrumbs

Method

  1. If you are making veggie gravy, keep all the trimmings from the vegetables. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the pepper, leek, carrot, onion and celery and cook, stirring, for 8-10 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes; if they produce lots of juices, cook them out. Transfer to a large bowl.
  2. Fold in the egg, 150g of the cheese and 100g of the breadcrumbs. Mix well and season. Transfer to a greased, base lined 28.5cm x 13cm x 6cm deep loaf tin. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and breadcrumbs.
  3. Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, until set and the top is golden. Cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then turn out, slice and serve with gravy.

Written by Amy Curtis

Recipes:

healthynibblesandbits.com/creamy-gingery-carrot-sweet-potato-soup-vegan/

bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/1993645/vegetarian-casserole

biggerbolderbaking.com/vegan-chocolate-pudding/

jamieoliver.com/recipes/vegetable-recipes/black-bean-burgers/

deliciousmagazine.co.uk/recipes/vegetarian-christmas-roast/


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