It’s been unseasonably warm in the mountains this October and we’ve even been able to eat a few lunches outside in the sunshine. The mornings and evenings have been getting colder though and we’ve had to switch to our winter wardrobe and dig out all the cardigans and jumpers. So, I’ve been creating the meal plans to be a mix of some lighter meals and some nice comforting warming meals.
Monday: Prawn and chorizo risotto
First up on the meal plan this week is a really tasty prawn and chorizo risotto. Prawns and chorizo really are a great flavour combination and I love mixing them together in different dishes. My top tip for an easier risotto, is to add the stock in 3 steps rather than adding and stirring continuously. You’ll get exactly the same results and you won’t feel like you’re being a slave to the stove!
Tuesday: White cabbage stew
Next up is a variation of a recipe that my mother-in-law made, white cabbage stew. Mushrooms, bacon and cabbage is a fantastic mix of flavours and melting the cabbage changes the flavour and makes it really subtle and not too strong. My mother in law added a dash of cream and some raw chopped apples to add crunch and sweetness to the cabbage. Feel free to do the same if you fancy more crunch.
Wednesday: Chicken vegetable soup
Our midweek meal is a nice filling chicken and vegetable soup. It looks super healthy with the poached chicken and all the different vegetables but the bacon is the little sin that brings out all the flavours!
Thursday: Roasted beetroot penne pasta
I love beetroot but always ended up cooking it in the same way. That’s why I’ve created this recipe which uses beetroot in a whole new way. There are no artificial colours added, I promise! It really is the beetroot that adds the amazing colour to the pasta and it tastes divine. Drizzling vinegar over the pasta rather than adding it all to the sauce means you’ll get little pockets that burst with flavour.
Friday: Lamb and tomato curry
Friday night is traditionally curry night and so we end the week with a lamb & tomato curry. You don’t need to add rice to this curry as it has all the carbs you need from the potatoes.
