Weather Moans and a Winter Warmer

Have you ever seen sunny mediterranean natives, jasmine and the olive tree, in the snow?  Here you are: welcome, to my white-blanketed garden!  My poor warm-weather beauties are feeling a little sorry for themselves.  It's still snowing now (third day) and, along with my garden buddies, my energies are depleted as I can't walk my daily 8 miles...  I heard radio reports that all the roads, in my resplendent Richmond Park, are closed today.  I can see no signs of grit on roads in my vicinity - so happy I pay such high Council Tax (ahem...)

Still, last night, I enjoyed my healthy winter warmer of quorn mince, celery, carrot, butternut squash, garlic-infused olive oil, tomato purée, red wine, vecon stock, butter beans and cannellini beans.  Hearty and delicious!  Super- simple and speedy to prepare.  For a generous individual serving use half a pack of quorn mince with - for speed and simplicity - a pack of Marks and Spencer casserole-ready fresh root vegetables with beans.  Place in a deep pan, with 2 teaspoons garlic-infused olive oil, a tablespoon of tomato purée, half a glass of decent red wine, a couple of sprigs fresh thyme, half a cup of soya milk, 2 teaspoons of vecon vegetable concentrate and a large cup of boiling water.  Bring to the boil, then simmer for around 12 minutes, until vegetables are tender.  Serve, as I did, on top of four large (cooked!) pasta shells and accompany with a glass of red, to drink.  A tasty anti-dote to the intemperate weather...

NB If you prefer not to take the 'lazy' route, (or you can't get to an M&S), simply use two good handfuls of the chunked vegetables, listed above, with one handful of pre-cooked beans of your choice, instead.