Wendy's 4 Favourite Hearty & Comforting Recipes

“I don’t know about you, but when summer winds down and the nights start drawing in, my mind immediately turns to food and comforting soups, stews and chilis.” Yep, Wendy (of Moral Fibres), we're right there with you! We asked Wendy about the recipes she often uses to give us all a bit of inspiration. Here she is with four of her favourites, plus a bit of handy insight on in-season ingredients.   “There’s nothing better than hunkering down on a wet autumnal afternoon with a cup of tea, a good cookbook and a roaring fire, and planning out all the good food to eat! A lot of people see October and November as quite barren when it comes to which vegetables are in season. However, there is a surprising amount of tasty seasonal British produce available in the shops. Here’s a quick guide to help you eat local this autumn…”  

October

British autumn favourites include sweet corn, cox apples, squash, blackberries, marrow and spinach. Cabbage is also big this month, with the savoy, red, white, and spring green varieties all in season. Other produce to look out for includes kale, runner beans, potatoes, Brussels sprouts, leeks, cauliflower, carrot and celery. I’ve put together a complete guide to the fruit and vegetables in season in October over on my blog, where you can even download a handy shopping list.  

November

November, again, is all about the cabbage. Look out for red, white, savoy and spring green cabbage. Other vegetables in season include potatoes, kale, leeks, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower and carrots. It's very similar to October, really. Again, find the complete list and shopping list for November here.   If you’re stuck for what to cook with this seasonal fare, then here are four of my favourite seasonal meals at this time of year. All are bright, colourful and oh so tasty. 1. RED CABBAGE, KALE AND CARROT STIR FRY This recipe from Honey and Velvet is the perfect and colourful way to cook some of these British seasonal veggies. 2. WARM CAULIFLOWER COUSCOUS SALAD A deliciously different lunch or side dish from Green Kitchen Stories. 3. ROASTED BRUSSEL SPROUTS, RED CABBAGE & NUTS Brussels sprouts have a bit of a bad rap as being soggy and a bit insipid, but if you roast them instead of boiling them then I promise you’ll see them in a whole new (and tasty!) light. This recipe from A Little Saffron would make a delicious accompaniment to any meal. 4. CREAMY CARROT & ORANGE SOUP And finally, where would autumn be without a comforting soup recipe? This colourful and zingy carrot and orange soup recipe from The Vanilla Bean Blog is sure to put a smile on your face, and warm your cockles on even the greyest of days.   Thanks, Wendy! If you plan on giving some of these comforting recipes a go, let us know and share your snaps. Tag them with @btreeclothing so we can see and regram them. Clare x