Time for Winter Stews!!

Hi Kim

I made a lovely stew the other day but not sure how into it you wuld be as it has no meat btu here's the recipe anywho...

Nutritional information per serving: 391 kcalories, protein 10g, carbohydrate 57g, fat 14 g, saturated fat 7g, fibre 8g, sugar 16g, salt 0.83 g


1 tbsp olive oil
350g shallots , peeled
2 leeks , thickly sliced
½ swede , chopped into chunks
2 parsnips , quartered
350g Chantenay carrots
175g pearl barley
225ml white wine
1l vegetable stock
1 bay leaf
3 sprigs thyme
small bunch parsley , finely chopped

FOR THE DUMPLINGS100g self-raising flour
50g unsalted butter
50g mature cheddar cheese, grated
2 tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves


1.Heat oil in a large casserole dish. Add shallots and cook for 5-6 mins until starting to soften and brown. Add leeks for 2 mins, then stir in swede, parsnips and carrots.
2.Pour in barley and wine, cook until wine has reduced by half. Add stock, bay, thyme, parsley and seasoning. Cover pan, bring to the boil, then simmer for 45 mins until barley and veg are tender. Stir occasionally to stop it catching.
3.Meanwhile, make the dumplings. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Rub flour and butter together to form breadcrumbs. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Sprinkle over 2 tbsp water, mix to form a soft dough. Divide into six and roll into balls. Dot on top of stew and transfer to oven. Cook, uncovered, for 20-25 mins until dumplings are golden.
PER SERVING391 kcalories, protein 10g, carbohydrate 57g, fat 14 g, saturated fat 7g, fibre 8g, sugar 16g, salt 0.83 g


The stew is a lovely healthy alternative and really warming and filling! Perfect for cold winter nights!

I'm loving slow cooker Goulash, recipe is made up as you go along, but here are the main ingredients for 2-4 portions (depending on who comes over for dinner):

1 onion, chopped
1 lb stewing beef cubes (as lean as you like to save some cals)
2-3 peppers, chopped (I like to use different colours, coz it looks pretty :-) )
garlic clove (optional)
bay leaf, thyme, any herbs you like really
you can put a chilli in, but I tend to get my heat from chilli powder, as it is easier to dose - again, you decide how hot you like it!
smoked paprika powder - to add to the natural pepper flavour
veg stock (or beef stock if you prefer)

I start this off in the morning, by sweating the onions in a frying pan (use cooking spray, saves a load of cals against olive oil), roll the beef cubes in flour (as little as you get a way with), then add to the frying pan, brown, deglaze the pan with some of the stock and dump it all in the slow cooker, add the other ingredients and let it cook until it is dinner time.
If I feel energetic, I make some Spätzle (home made pasta famous in southwest Germany), if not it is served with normal pasta or just a pitta bread ... If you have some left over, pull the beef bits apart into very small bits and eat as soup the next day! :-)