Smoky veggie sausage hot pot

October 17, 2017November 2, 2021 ~ Corrie ~ 6 Comments

I’m as confused as a hedgehog who forgot to go into hibernation, what the hell is going on with the weather? It’s supposed to be October! One day it’s 24°C and the next it’s 12°C – which is highly inconvenient as I’ve just packed away all my summer clothes and replaced them with woolly jumpers, tights and bobble hats. So thanks global warming. I’m now that sweaty lady on the bus, swaddled in wool and scowling at anyone in a sundress. Anyway, that will teach me not to check the weather.
Right so, sausage hot pot. My mum makes a cracking sausage hot pot so hopefully this is up to her exemplary standards. Hearty, wholesome and full of beans, this hot pot will warm your boots/flip flops – weather permitting.

Smoky veggie sausage hot pot
Serves 4 / Hands on time 20 mins / Total time 1 hr / V Vn ❄
1 tsp of olive oil
8 vegan sausages, I use Couldron vegetarian Cumberland sausages
1/2 tsp salt
1 white onion, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 small leek, finely chopped
1 tbs tomato purée
2 tsp smoked paprika
2 tins plum tomatoes
200ml vegan vegetable stock, I use half a Knorr stock pot
100ml vegan red wine*
1 tin red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 tin cannellini beans or chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp Marmite (optional)
Handful of chopped parsley
Drizzle of Pomora extra virgin olive oil
Serve with crusty bread or mashed potato (optional)

Method
1. On a baking tray lined with baking paper, cook the sausages in an oven as per the packet instructions.
2. Meanwhile, in a large casserole dish, sweat the chopped onions down in the oil along with the leek, salt and garlic. Add a little water to help them steam and cooked for 5 mins until slightly softened. Add 2 tsp of smoked paprika along with a tbs of tomato puree, stir and cook for a further 2 mins before adding the wine. Up the heat and allow to reduce for 5 mins.
3. Remove the sausages once cooked and put to one side.
4. Once the wine has absorbed, add the tinned tomatoes and the vegetable stock. Using your spoon, break up the plum tomatoes a bit, give it all a good stir, up the heat and bring to the boil. Once the sausages are cool enough to handle, cut into quarters (or leave them whole) and add the drained beans. Stir in the Marmite, dried oregano and season with black pepper to taste.
5. Bring to the boil before turning down the heat and simmering for 20 mins uncovered, stirring occasionally.
6. Take off the heat and stir in the chopped parsley. Leave to stand for 5 mins before dividing into bowls, drizzling with extra virgin olive oil and serve with crusty bread or mash.

If you’ve had a go at making any of my recipes, I’d love to hear from you. Follow me now @corrieheale and tag your recipe pictures using #corriesrabbitfood.

V– Vegetarian Vn – Vegan 🌶– Spicy ❄– Suitable for home freezing. Consume within 3 months.
*Most wines are unfortunately not vegetarian or vegan, due to products used in the ‘fining’ process. Wine makers are also under no obligation to disclose if they have used animal products on the label. Vegetarian and vegan wines are available in most supermarkets.

Baked chickpea scotch eggs

August 18, 2017April 9, 2021 ~ Corrie ~ Leave a comment

Sorry for the late post dear reader but I’ve been busy moving myself, Jamie and my vast collection of cook books into our new home. I had fifteen boxes of cookbooks, FIFTEEN! Ridiculous. I felt very sorry for Jamie’s dad Billy, who heroically carried them up two flights of stairs (apologies Billy), I clearly have a problem.
Anyway, let’s talk veggie Scotch eggs. I’ve been a bit obsessed with them ever since I tried my first one in the The Southampton Arms last month. However, this is not the first time I’ve tried to make them. My first attempt was a bit of a fail back in 2015. Although tasty, they resembled mushroom burgers, far too flat to be considered a Scotch egg. So, two years later and with a picnic on the horizon, it was time for round two. Using a mixture of chickpeas, breadcrumbs and cannellini beans, I finally managed to get the right texture to mould around my boiled eggs to form the perfect Scotch egg (#winningatlife). Unlike a regular Scotch egg however, I opted for baking not frying, not only to keep the calories down (as you all know, I’ve been on a diet for about 100 million years) but because I don’t trust myself to deep fat fry anything, far to scary. I mean I don’t even own a microwave, let alone a deep fat fryer, although my mum did once, my dad bought her one for Christmas. Not cool dad, not cool.
Anyway, if you fancy a bit of challenge and want to impress your friends at that picnic then be brave and give these a go, you won’t regret it.

Baked chickpea scotch eggs
Makes 5 / Hands on time 55 / Total time 1 hr 15 mins + cooling / V Df
You will need: Hand blender/food processor, cling film
1 tsp rapeseed oil
7 medium eggs (one week old is best for peeling)
Ice
1 red onion, roughly chopped
3 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
1 medium carrot, grated
1 tsp sea salt flakes
2 tsp smoked paprika
¼ tsp chilli flakes
1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 can cannellini, chickpeas or kidney beans, rinsed and drained
40g breadcrumbs (roughly 2 regular slices of bread)
3 tbs plain flour
40g Panko breadcrumbs
English mustard to serve (optional)

Method
1. Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a rapid boil before lowering in the 6 eggs. Boil for 7 mins before scooping out and placing in a bowl of iced water. Once the eggs are cool enough to touch, give each one a little crack on the deck to break the shell and re-submerge – this make them easier to peel later. Put to one side.
2. Add a tsp of oil to a large saucepan and add the chopped onions, garlic, grated carrot and salt. Cook on a medium heat with the lid on for 5 mins. Add a dash of water to help the vegetables steam and cook for a further 2 mins.
3. Add the chilli flakes and the smoked paprika before adding a dash of water and cook for a further 2 mins. Add both cans of rinsed and drained chickpeas/beans and season with pepper. Turn the heat down and cook with the lid on for a further 10 mins. Preheat an oven to 220°C/200°C fan/425°F/gas mark 7.

TIP: Eggs that are slightly older are easier to peel, so try and use up the older eggs in you have in the fridge for this recipe.

4. Add 2 slices of torn bread to a food processor and blitz to breadcrumbs and put to one side. Take the beans off the heat and either transfer to a food processor or blitz with a hand blender until you have a smooth paste. In a separate bowl, beat the remaining egg with a fork and add half to the mixture along with the breadcrumbs and mix together. Put to one side, saving the rest of the beaten egg.
5. You will need 2 small side plates and the remaining egg mixture. Add the flour to one of the plates along with a good pinch of salt and the Panko breadcrumbs to the other. You will need a brush for the egg.
6. Peel the eggs and place on a piece of kitchen roll and pat them dry. To assemble your scotch eggs, tear a large square of clingfilm and put it on the deck in front of you. Roughly divide the mixture into five and place one portion in the centre of your clingfilm. Using your hands, pat the mixture down until you have a round-ish patty.
7. Roll the first egg in the flour and place in the centre of the bean mixture. Gather up the edges of the clingfilm and start to squish the beans around the egg, until the egg is entirely encased by the mixture – if you find you haven’t taken enough mixture, simply add more to the top and continue to work around the egg. (See step by step images below).
8. Once the egg is encased, remove the clingfilm and mould into a ball with your hands. Brush all over with a bit of beaten egg and roll in the Panko breadcrumbs. Place on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Repeat this process with the other eggs using the same sheet of clingfilm.
9. Bake in the oven for 20-25 mins. Leave to cool completely on the baking tray before wrapping individually in clingfilm and refrigerating. Serve with a dollop of English mustard. Consume within 5 days.

If you’ve had a go at making any of my recipes, I’d love to hear from you. Follow me now @corrieheale and tag your recipe pictures using #corriesrabbitfood.

V– Vegetarian Df– Dairy free

Parisian gratin

May 22, 2017March 10, 2023 ~ Corrie ~ Leave a comment

Okay so what’s the difference between a gratin and potato dauphinoise? Basically nothing, although I’ve always identified dauphinoise as a side dish and gratin as a main but essentially, they’re the same. Layers of finely sliced potato cooked in lashings of double cream and cheese, err yes please. And who do we have to thank for this? The French of course. I wish I was French, I’d love to eat cheese, drink wine and wear black clothes draped over my slender bird like body… Not quite sure where that came from.
Anyway, unfortunately I’m not French so literally can’t bring myself to pour a whole pint of double cream over my dinner so decided to make a slightly healthier version, based on a gratin I ate in Paris back in February.

The original gratin from Le Bistro des Augustins. Paris 2017.

I was a bit sceptical about going to Paris at first because any pleasant memories I had, had been marred by me picking ham out of every meal on a school trip once. However, it appeared Paris was no longer the veggie-phobic city it once was.
I ordered the only meat-free option available which was a kind of mixed vegetable gratin. I didn’t like the sound of this, a bowl of vegetables covered in cheese, ‘great’ (said in an unenthusiastic tone) but as usual, I was wrong. A handful of diced vegetables formed the base and was topped with gooey, cheesy, buttery potatoes, yum! We scooped, scoffed and quaffed the night away before waddling back to our hotel feeling like we were going to die (in a good way). Bon appetite!

Parisian gratin
Serves 2 / Hands on time 40 mins / Total time 1 hr 10 mins / V* Gf
You’ll need: Casserole oven-proof dish approx 25cm x 20cm and large cooking pot with a lid
25g unsalted butter
3 large garlic cloves, peeled and grated
½ courgette, finely diced
1 tsp sea salt flakes
1 tomato, de-seeded and finely chopped
1 tsp Herbs de Provence
Pinch of ground nutmeg
300ml semi-skimmed milk
200g Crème fraîche
600g potatoes thinly sliced
150g Gruyere*, Emmental or mature cheddar, grated (you can use any cheese you like really as long as you can grate it – the stronger the cheese the better)
French bread and salad leaves to serve

Method
1. Finely slice the potatoes as thin as you can using either a knife or a mandoline and put to one side – I tend to leave the skins on but peel if you prefer.
2. In a large pot with a lid, add the butter and place over a medium heat. Once melted, add the garlic, courgette, tomato and salt and cook for 5 mins. Take off the heat and cool for a few minutes. Add the 300ml of milk, 1 tsp of herbs de Provence and a pinch of nutmeg. Stir and bring to the boil before turning the heat down to medium low. Carefully submerge the potatoes in the milk (don’t worry if you can’t submerge them all, they will be cooked by the steam). Cover with a lid and simmer for 5 mins. Uncover, and roughly turn the potatoes over with a spoon, being careful not to break them up too much. Cover again and simmer for a further 5 mins. Preheat an oven to 220°C/200°C fan/425°F/gas mark 7.
3. Remove from the heat and using a slotted spoon, lift half the potatoes out of the sauce (leaving as much sauce as possible behind) and spread evenly in the casserole dish. Season with salt and pepper and cover with half the grated cheese.
4. Lift the rest of the potatoes out (again leaving as much sauce behind as possible) and spread evenly on top of the cheese. Put to one side. Add the crème fraîche to the pot of remaining sauce and vigorously beat with a whisk (this prevents the sauce from splitting). Pour the sauce over the potatoes. Sprinkle with the rest of the cheese and season with salt and pepper.
5. Bake in a hot oven for 20-30 mins and the gratin is bubbling up the sides and brown on top. Leave to sit for 5 mins before serving with French bread, lightly dressed leaves and good bottle of red wine. Well it’s not Parisian without wine!

If you’ve had a go at making any of my recipes, I’d love to hear from you. Follow me now @corrieheale and tag your recipe pictures using #corriesrabbitfood.

Gf– Gluten free
*Gruyere cheese is not vegetarian.

Rhubarb breakfast muffins

May 1, 2017February 17, 2020 ~ Corrie ~ Leave a comment

Rhubarb is in season but I always struggle to know what to do with it. Apart from crumble I get a bit stuck. You can’t eat it raw (well you can but it’s very tart) and it doesn’t really lend itself to anything savoury, unless you pickle it – which I don’t have time for. So what else can you do with it?
Well, as you can see, I decided to make muffins but these are no ordinary muffins, these are my attempt at a ‘healthy-ish’ breakfast muffin (basically I’m bored of granola and want to eat cake for breakfast).
This was a bit of a challenge though, in my experience low calorie muffins taste like sweetened dog shit, so how do I make mine taste good with only half the sugar and no butter? To be honest I don’t know. I made this recipe up with a load of things I thought might work and to my astonishment, they actually did.
I like to eat mine in a bowl with yogurt but they’re also good for scoffing on the go – depends how late for work you are.

Rhubarb breakfast muffins
Makes 12 / Hands on time 20 mins / Total time 40 mins + cooling / V ❄
You’ll need: Muffin cases and a 12 cup muffin tin
150g caster sugar
175g rhubarb, diced
2 tbs rapeseed oil
1 egg
130g full-fat Greek yogurt
1 tsp vanilla extract
200g plain flour
50g chopped walnuts
20g pumpkin seeds
¼ tsp sea salt flakes
½ tsp ground ginger
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
Topping
Handful of oats
Demerara sugar for sprinkling
Greek yogurt to serve (optional)

Muffin Rules
Rule 1. Don’t over mix. Over mixing will produce tough muffins.
Rule 2. Be quick! As soon as you combine the wet and dry ingredients, the chemicals in the raising agents will start to rise. Get the muffins in the oven as soon as possible.

Method
1. Preheat an oven to 190°C/170°C fan/375°F/gas mark 5. Line 12 muffin cases in a muffin tin. In a large mixing bowl, add the sugar and the chopped rhubarb and give it a good stir. Add the egg, oil, vanilla, salt, yogurt and combine well.
2. Stir in the walnuts along with the pumpkin seeds before adding the flour, ginger, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda. Mix quickly until just incorporated and spoon swiftly and evenly into the muffin cases – a heaped tablespoon each should suffice. Sprinkle each muffin with oats and Demerara sugar and bake in the oven for 15-18 mins.
3. Leave to cool on a cooling rack and serve with a dollop of yogurt or enjoy on the go. Store in an airtight container lined with kitchen roll and consume within 4 days. Suitable for home freezing.

If you’ve had a go at making any of my recipes, I’d love to hear from you. Follow me now @corrieheale and tag your recipe pictures using #corriesrabbitfood.

V– Vegetarian ❄– Suitable for home freezing once baked. Wrap individually in clingfilm and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost the night before and enjoy for breakfast the next morning.

Smoky sweet potato & bean wraps

April 13, 2017March 6, 2023 ~ Corrie ~ Leave a comment

I have to admit, I’ve never really given the bean wrap a chance. Always the last, sad looking wrap on the shelf in Boots, I always felt a bit sorry for it but never sorry enough, to actually buy it and eat it. So what’s changed? Someone else bought me one and I ate it out of politeness and to my astonishment, I rather enjoyed it! I mean it was no falafel wrap but I remember thinking ‘I can work with you my beany little friend, in fact, I shall call you Claire Beany, after the great Claire Sweeney’. Hey, remember Brookside?
Anyway, I ate Claire Beany (it’s what she would have wanted) and now, thanks to her, I have created the ultimate bean wrap in all it’s smoky glory. Just to clarify, Claire Beany was never a real person, she was a Mexican bean wrap from M&S. Claire Sweeney however is a person, not a wrap… Enjoy!

Smoky sweet potato & bean wraps
Serves 4 / Hands on time 25 mins / Total time 45 mins / V Vn* ❄
Filling
1 tsp olive oil
1 medium sweet potato
½ medium onion, chopped
1 large garlic clove, crushed
1 tsp smoked paprika
2 tbs tomato puree
Pinch of chilli flakes
1 can of kidney beans or mixed beans, washed and drained
1 corn on the cob or 1 small can of sweetcorn, drained
To serve
4 large vegan wraps
2 handfuls fresh spinach or cos lettuce
1 avocado, peeled and sliced
4 tbs Greek or plain yogurt
40g cheddar cheese
Chilli sauce (optional)
Baking paper or foil to wrap

*Make it vegan: Leave out the cheddar altogether and serve with vegan coconut yogurt.

Tip: Make the bean mixture the night before and refrigerate over night along with the baked sweet potato. Make the wraps up in the morning and take to work. This recipe easily makes 4 lunch wraps.

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°fan/400°F/gas mark 6. Score the sweet potato carefully with a knife and stab it through the middle a couple of times. Bake in the oven on the middle shelf for 45 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, make your bean filling. In a large pot, sweat the chopped onion in the oil for about 5 minutes on a medium heat (add a dash of water to help them steam). Once softened, add the garlic and the smoked paprika and cook for a further minute. Add the tomato puree and the chilli flakes and give it a good stir.
3. Cook for a few minutes before adding the beans. Stir and cook for a further 5 minutes before seasoning well with salt and pepper. If using a fresh corn on the cob, remove the kernels by standing on it’s head and running a sharp knife, carefully down the sides slowly (they tend to go everywhere, so proceed with care). Add the corn to the beans and continue to cook for 5-10 minutes.
4. Take the beans off the heat, cover with a lid and put to one side. Slice the cheese and the avocado ready to fill your wraps.
5. Once your sweet potato is soft, carefully remove from the oven and cut into quarters to cool it down a bit. Lay your wraps out and spread one half with a tablespoon of warm sweet potato and the other half with yogurt. Top evenly with a couple of spoonfuls of the bean mixture and a smattering of chilli sauce if using. Layer with sliced avocado, cheese, fresh spinach before seasoning with salt and pepper.
6. Move onto a large piece of baking paper or foil and fold the top and bottom of the wrap in on itself and carefully roll it up in the baking paper – this makes it easier to eat. Peel down the sides of the paper and eat like a burrito.

If you’ve had a go at making any of my recipes, I’d love to hear from you. Follow me now @corrieheale and tag your recipe pictures using #corriesrabbitfood.

V– Vegetarian Vn– Forgo the cheddar and yogurt ❄– The bean mixture is suitable for home freezing once cooled. Consume within 3 months.

Light & crispy roast potatoes

December 19, 2016October 31, 2019 ~ Corrie ~ 2 Comments

What’s the deal with the Quaker Oats man? Who is he? Is he an actual real person?
On my way back from the hospital I could see his stupid smug face staring up at me from my shopping bag. ‘What the hell is he so happy about’ I thought. Knob.
On further investigation, I discovered he wasn’t supposed to represent an actual person but in 1909 the ‘Quaker Man’ was identified as William Penn, the 17th-century philosopher and early Quaker, who I thought, bore a striking resemblance to Danny Devito’s Penguin in Batman Returns. That being said, today’s ‘Quaker Man’ doesn’t seem to resemble either William Penn or Penguin, so what the hell?
Jumping forward to 1969, I was surprised to learn that the ‘Quaker Man’ now known as ‘Larry’ by insiders at Quaker Oats, was illustrated by Saul Bass, a famous American graphic designer, known for his iconic poster art and film title sequences. Okay so ‘Quaker Oats Man’ has gone up in my estimation but I still hate him, stupid hat wearing twat. STOP SMILING AT ME!

William Penn & Penguin Man

Anyway, enough about the ‘Quaker Oats Man’, lets talk roasties because Christmas Day is literally this week, AGH! For the first time ever, I’ll be making Christmas dinner, I mean how hard can it be right? If you get the roast potatoes right you can’t go far wrong… Roast potatoes… Shit. I’ve never actually made roast potatoes before. Okay so a little practice was in order but after several attempts, I am now the proud owner, of a roast potato recipe that makes crispy, fluffy roasties without drowning them in oil. I prefer to save my calories for mince pies thank you. Oh, and if you want to know what I’m making for Christmas dinner, then check out my blog on the 23rd of December for a special Christmas post and recipe.

Light & crispy roast potatoes
Serves 4 / Hands on time 30 mins / Total time 1 hour 10 mins / V Vn Df
1 kg potatoes (roughly 4 baking potatoes)
1 tsp of rapeseed oil
1 ½ tsp plain flour
Salt
Few sprigs of thyme (optional)

Method
1. Preheat your oven to 200°C/180°C fan/400°F/gas mark 6. Cut 4 large baking potatoes into 4 evenly sized pieces (I leave the skins on mine but you can peel them if you prefer). Put in a large saucepan and fill with cold water just covering the potatoes. Season well with salt and bring to the boil before reducing the heat and simmering for 2 minutes
2. Once boiled, pour the potatoes into a colander and give them a good shake to rough them up a bit. Add one and half teaspoons of flour and give them another good shake until evenly covered.
3. Tip out onto a baking tray and drizzle evenly with oil. Give it a toss until well covered. Season well with salt and scatter a few thyme sprigs on top.
5. Roast in the oven for 15 minutes before removing and giving a second shake. Return to the oven and roast for a further 25 minutes, shaking halfway through. Discard the thyme storks and serve as part of a roast dinner.

If you’ve had a go at making any of my recipes, I’d love to hear from you. Follow me now @corrieheale and tag your recipe pictures using #corriesrabbitfood.

V– Vegetarian Vn– Vegan Df– Dairy free

Aubergine & spinach curry

February 29, 2016January 24, 2020 ~ Corrie ~ 2 Comments

Ill again, ill again, jiggery jig. Really need to stop licking toilet door knobs. Anyway, the day before I got this stinking cold, I managed to make this rather delightful aubergine curry. This recipe is unusually mild for me but you have to be careful not to overpower the subtle flavour of the aubergine. It’s this mild and subtle flavour that makes it a particular hit with mums – mums don’t like hot curries you see. So, if you like your mum, then why not treat her to this curry or the Downton Abbey boxset? Both are exquisite gifts… It is Mothers Day next Sunday after all.

Aubergine & spinach curry
Serves 4 / Hands on time 40 mins / Takes 1 hour 40 minutes / V Vn Gf Df ❄
Rapeseed oil spray
1 tsp rapeseed
4 aubergines, cut into chunks
2 small onions, finely chopped
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp mild chilli powder
1 tsp sea salt flakes
1 tsp turmeric
1 can chopped tomatoes
200g bag of spinach
Brown basmati rice to serve (optional)
Handful fresh coriander and yogurt to serve (optional)

Method
1. preheat an o oven to 220°C/200°C fan/425°F/gas mark 7. Spray a deep roasting try with oil, stab the aubergines a few times with a fork and spray them with oil. roast in the oven whole for 50 mins, turning half way through cooking.
2. Meanwhile, add a tsp of oil to a large pot over a medium heat. Add the chopped onions and sweat for 5 mins with the lid on. Add a dash of water to help the onions steam before adding all the spices and the salt. Cook for a further few minutes before covering with the lid again and taking off the heat. Put to one side.
3. Once the aubergines are soft, take out the oven and transfer the first aubergine to a chopping board. Cut off the stalk and slice in half lengthways. Using a fork pin one half down and scrap the flesh out with a spoon. Discard the skin and put the flesh in a separate bowl, roughly mash with a fork and sprinkle with salt. Repeat this process with all there aubergines.
4. Put the onion mix back over a medium heat along with a tbs of water and warm through. Add the aubergine flesh and give it a stir. Add the can of chopped tomatoes and bring to the boil. Once boiling reduce the heat and start adding the spinach a couple of handfuls at a time. Allow the spinach to wilt down into the curry before adding a couple more handfuls, stirring continually. After the spinach has been added reduced the heat and cook for a further 20-30 minutes, stirring frequently.
5. Finish by serving with the rice yogurt and a sprinkle of fresh coriander.

If you’ve had a go at making any of my recipes, I’d love to hear from you. Follow me now @corrieheale and tag your recipe pictures using #corriesrabbitfood.

V– Vegetarian Vn– Vegan Gf– Gluten free. Df– Dairy free.
❄ Suitable for home freezing once cooled. Consume within 3 months.

Fridge soup

February 15, 2016January 24, 2020 ~ Corrie ~ 2 Comments

Fridge soup has prevented me from starving to death before pay day for several years now. It’s literally made up of left over bits and bobs in my veg drawer, which may not sound appetising but trust me, it’s delicious. All you need is an onion, a couple of stock cubes and a load of old veg that needs using up.
It’s never a thick blended soup though, more of a broth inspired by many a skiing holiday. You may or may not know, that being vegetarian in Europe is shit. Made worse by the fact that my dad was a very fussy vegetarian. This meant the only thing we could really eat was cheese because well, there wasn’t much else. Getting the cheese sweats up a mountain became the norm for me and dad – that’s what two fondues a day will do to you.
However, sometimes we’d be lucky enough to order a vegetable broth. Probably wasn’t vegetarian but we never asked, we didn’t want know. It was always the same, a beautifully clear stock with small elegantly chopped vegetables floating in it and served with a white baguette. Mmmm.
So anyway, back to the soup. Mine isn’t quite so delicate but it’s certainly tasty. Sometimes I dig around my cupboards and chuck in a can of pulses along with anything else that needs using up. You can put whatever you want in it really but here’s the formula I tend to use…

½ onion + 2 garlic cloves + 1.5 litre stock + half filled pot of veg + 1 can of pulses (optional)

Fridge soup
Serves 4 / Hands on time xx / Takes 25 – 30 minutes / V Vn Gf Df ❄
1 tsp rapeseed oil
½ onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
½ green pepper, de-seeded and finely chopped
1 leek, roughly chopped
1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped
½ an aubergine, roughly chopped
2 handfuls of kale
2 handfuls spinach
3 ribs of celery plus inner leaves, roughly chopped
1.5 litres vegetable stock, I use 2 Knorr stock pots
Small handful fresh coriander finely chopped
Extra virgin olive oil to serve
Grated vegetarian cheese to serve (optional)

TIP: If using green vegetables such as kale, broccoli, courgettes, leafy greens etc, add these 5 mins before the end as they won’t need much cooking – they will keep their vibrant colour and crunch.

Method
1. Fry the onion and garlic in a large heavy bottomed pot in a tsp of oil over a medium heat. Sweat with the lid on for 5 mins before removing and adding a dash of water to help the onions steam and soften. Add the carrots, green pepper, leek and continue cook for 5 mins.
2. Add the stock, season well with salt and pepper and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
3. Finally add the kale, coriander, spinach and cook for a further 5 mins along with any canned pulses you may fancy (optional). Serve the broth drizzled in extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkle of cheese (optional).

Other variation examples…
Fridge vegetable broth vs2
½ an onion, 1 garlic clove, 1 courgette, 2 medium carrots, 1 leek, 2 handfuls of kale, small baking potato, ½ can of sweetcorn, small handful parsley, half a bottle of passata, 1.5 litre veg stock

Fridge vegetable broth vs3
½ an onion, 2 garlic cloves, 1 can of chickpeas, 1 red pepper, 1 courgette, 1 baking potato, half a bag of spinach, 3 small carrots, 8 cherry tomatoes, 1.5 litre veg stock, finely chopped parsley.

If you’ve had a go at making any of my recipes, I’d love to hear from you. Follow me now @corrieheale and tag your recipe pictures using #corriesrabbitfood.

V– Vegetarian Vn– Vegan Df– Dairy free
Gf– I use Knorr vegetable stock pots because they are gluten free but other stock pots/cubes may not be. Always check the label.
❄ The soup is suitable for home freezing once cooled. Consume within 3 months.

Spicy bean & tomato eggs

January 27, 2016February 2, 2020 ~ Corrie ~ Leave a comment

You may or may not know that I’ve been suffering with bubonic plague since Christmas. Bubonic plague/bronchitis, same difference. Anyway, aside from the coughing, fever and wheeziness, the worst side effect has been my loss of appetite. Yes dear reader, pigs have flown, hell has frozen over, Tara Reid is a healthy size twelve and Corrie isn’t hungry.
So seeing as it’s the end of the world, we might as eat have breakfast. Well you can, I’ll cook it, pick at it and then cough all over it. Don’t worry, if I ever get hungry again, I’ll eat it out the bin. Enjoy!

Spicy bean & tomato eggs
Serves 1 / Hands on time 10 mins / Total time 15 mins / V Df
You’ll need: Non-stick frying pan – I like to use a small pan but I used a large pan in the picture. If making for 2, use a large frying pan.
1 tsp rapeseed oil
2 spring onions, sliced
¼ tsp smoked paprika
Dash of Tabasco sauce (optional)
1 or 2 eggs
1 large or 2 regular tomatoes, chopped
½ can kidney beans
Handful fresh coriander, chopped
Extra virgin olive oil to serve
Toast to serve (optional)

Method
1. Fry the spring onions in the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat for 2 mins. Add the chopped tomatoes, Tabasco and smoked paprika and cook for a further 2 mins. Season well with salt and pepper and add the beans. Cook for 5 mins.
2. Using a spoon, make a well in the mixture and crack in your egg/eggs. Cover the pan with a lid or with sheet of foil and cook for 2-4 minutes or until the whites have set but the yolks are still soft. Serve in the pan topped with a handful of chopped coriander, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and toast for dunking.

If you’ve had a go at making any of my recipes, I’d love to hear from you. Follow me now @corrieheale and tag your recipe pictures using #corriesrabbitfood.

V – Vegetarian Df – Dairy free

HEAT COOKS THE BOOKS: Tahini crunch noodle salad

January 12, 2016January 25, 2020 ~ Corrie ~ Leave a comment

If you’re anything like us and indulged in a little too much cheese over the festive period, then don’t worry. Let’s start 2016 off with a healthy noodle salad to help flatten those tummies.

Tahini crunch noodle salad
Serves 4
2 carrots
2 large cucumbers
2 large handfuls ofBkale (about 100g)
5 spring onions, finely sliced
200g cooked flat rice noodles
4 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted
Small handful of fresh coriander and mint, roughly chopped
For the tahini dressing:
1 chilli, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
Thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger, peeled
and finely chopped
3 tbsp tahini
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil, plus extra for massaging
the kale

1. Peel the carrots into long ribbons using a vegetable peeler. Do the same with the cucumbers, but turn the cucumbers and peel from
the other side when you reach the seeds in the
middle (discard the seeds).
2. Whisk together the ingredients for the dressing and loosen with a few tbsp of water until it reaches the consistency of single cream. The
dressing keeps well in the fridge for up to five days.
3. In a large mixing bowl, massage the kale with a small drizzle of sesame oil until it is tender. Add the carrots, cucumber, half the spring onions, noodles, half the sesame seeds, coriander and mint.
4. Pour over the dressing and toss until all the ingredients are evenly coated. Scatter over the remaining sesame seeds and spring onions to serve. This salad is great enjoyed straight away, but will also keep well if made in advance. Recipes taken from Fresh by Donal Skehan (Hodder, £20). Follow Donal… will air on The Food Network in January.

Heat’s Verdict:
Corrie says, “I’m not usually a fan of salad for lunch in winter, but if it also includes noodles, I can make an exception. After a big, indulgent Christmas, I was craving something light and fresh, so Donal’s dish was just what the doctor ordered. I halved the recipe, though, as I only needed two portions, but I still covered it in the same amount of dressing. What? It’s still healthy if you do that, I think. Anyway, so where were we? Oh yes. ‘Finish with the toasted sesame seeds…’ Oh, I was supposed to toast them? Untoasted ones had to do and they did very nicely. Yum, Donal.”