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.
