For a special occasion Venison is a good choice.  It is affordable and lower in fat than many red meats and also very tasty.

Venison and Red Pepper Stew

(Serves 2 as a main meal)

Ingredients:

• 300g diced venison
• 2tbsp flour
• 2tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion
• 1 garlic clove
• 2 red peppers
• 1 leek
• 2 large field mushrooms
• 250ml beef stock
• 250ml red wine
• Sprig of thyme

Method:

1. Pat diced venison dry with kitchen paper and toss with flour.
2. Heat olive oil in a casserole dish and quickly brown the venison all over.
3. Add sliced onion and crushed garlic clove until golden.
4. Add finely sliced red pepper, sliced leek and sliced field mushrooms, and cook until vegetables start to soften.
5. Pour in the beef stock and red wine, bring to the boil, cover and then leave to simmer gently for about 2 hours, or until the venison is tender.
6. Alternatively simmer in the oven at 160C/Gas Mark 3 for the same amount of time.
7. Top up with extra stock or water as necessary.
8. Serve with mash and steamed brocolli.

Bonfire Night calls for some warming food and can easily be done on a budget. 

Firstly find out the details of your nearest local bonfire display – try this list from the Telegraph  or check out your local newspaper.  Most displays are free so wrap up warm and set off for some fun.  You will save £££s on fireworks and have a safe adn spectacular display to watch.

When you get back have some warming food prepared such as chilli hot dogs – see recipe below, soup or baked potates.  Finish off with hot chocolate and marshmallows and you are done! 

Enjoy your night!

Chilli for Chilli Dogs
Enough for 4-6 hot dogs
2 tbsp sunflower oil 
250g minced beef
1 clove of garlic
1 tbsp tomato paste
2 level tsp mild chilli powder
200g tin or 1/2 a 400g tin of tomatoes 
Salt
Heat a frying pan for about 3 minutes over a moderate heat. Add the oil then, when it’s hot, tip in the mince and break it up in the pan. Keep frying and turning it for about 2-3 minutes until it has browned then tip away the excess fat. Add the tomato paste and mix well with the meat then add the garlic and chilli powder. Stir and mix well. Tip the the tomatoes, breaking down any whole tomatoes with a fork. Season with salt and simmer for about 15 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes before using.

image by freeimageslive.co.uk – fmanto

You have spent hours making your pumpkin lantern, broken nails and fought over the design but what do you do with all that leftover pumpkin?  It is such a shame to go to waste so here are two great recipes for you to try:

Pumpkin Soup

Pumpkin soup is perfect for Halloween or bonfire night, lovely and warming with a touch of curry spice.

• 900g of pumpkin flesh, cut into cubes
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 large potato, peeled and cubed
• 1-2 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 1 flat teaspoon of mild curry powder
• 1 litre chicken or vegetable stock
• 1 tablespoon sunflower oil

Boil the pumpkin cubes in some water until nearly tender. 

Sweat the chopped onion in the oil until transparent and add the crushed garlic, trying not to burn it.  Mix in the curry spice and stir.  Pour in the cooked pumpkin to the mixture.  Add potato cubes, stock and salt and pepper. 

Simmer until cooked and blend to a creamy consistency.

Pumpkin Muffins

• 225g pumpkin flesh
• 2 eggs
• ½ tsp ginger
• ½ tsp cloves
• 125ml milk
• 100ml golden syrup
• 2 tbsp margarine
• 175g white flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 200C/400F/gas mark 6.  Steam the pumpkin flesh until tender then purée in a blender or food processor.  Allow to cool

 Mix together the eggs, milk, syrup and margarine, and mix with the pumpkin.

 Combine flour, baking powder and spices and add these dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture. Stir to mix, but don’t overmix.

Pour into muffin pans and bake for 18 to 20 minutes.

Soup can help to keep your weight in check as it is generally low calorie. When it is eaten before a main meal it can help to cut calorie content by up to 20%. This is because it makes the stomach empty much slower.

Ready Made soups are obviously easier but nothing beats a warming bowl of homemade soup. Use cheap seasonal vegetables and cook in bulk and freeze. Buy what ever is on special offer for a great money saving recipe and make as much as you can store! You can add potatoes or lentils to thicken instead of cream.

Kids can learn to love soup too – start them from a young age when you start weaning just remove their portion before you season with salt. My girls both love soup from a traditional scotch broth to lentil soup.  Kids tend to love the more colourful and sweeter soups such as pumpkin (see my halloween recipe coming next!), sweet potato, carrot, tomato and sweetcorn.

1 onion (chopped)
1 crushed clove of garlic
500g of chopped carrots
1 litre of vegetable stock
Black pepper to taste

• Chop an onion and gently fry in some butter or olive oil with a crushed clove of garlic until soft.
• Add 500g of chopped carrots and cook for a few minutes.
• Add the vegetable stock, bring to the boil and simmer until the carrots are tender (about 15 – 20 mins).
• Remove from heat and season with pepper.
• Liquidise in a blender or food processor.
• Serve into bowls and swirl in some cream or yogurt and/or sprinkle with fresh chopped coriander
• Serve with fresh crusty bread.

Variations

• You can use any combination of sweet-tasting vegetables instead of just carrots (parsnips, butternut squash, red or yellow peppers).
• To make a thicker soup, add a chopped potato before simmering.
• Carrot & Coriander soup- Follow the above recipe, but add 1tsp ground coriander to the pan with the onions. Add a good handful of chopped fresh corriander to the soup after blending. Stir in and serve.

Found this one with only 3 ingredients and very yummy!!

3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies

1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup of peanut butter.

Mix all together and drop spoonfuls onto greased baking sheet. You can use a fork to lightly press down and make the criss-cross design also. Bake at 350F/180C/Gas 4 for 7-10 minutes or until done. Makes between 1-2 dozen depending on how big or small you make them. Leave to cool on the baking sheet before removing to the rack.

Makes 12 standard-size or 11 large muffins

10 oz (280 g) plain flour*
1 teaspoon (5 ml) baking powder
1 teaspoon (5 ml) bicarbonate of soda
¼ teaspoon (1.2 ml) salt
8-10 fl oz (240-290 ml) ripe banana purée (about 3 medium bananas)
4 oz (110 g) fine white granulated sugar
1 egg, beaten with a fork
3 fl oz (90 ml) milk or water
3 fl oz (90 ml) vegetable oil
2-3 oz (60-85 g) walnuts or plain chocolate chips (optional)

Method

1. Prepare muffin tins. Preheat oven to 375-400°F (190-200°C) for a conventional oven, Gas Mark 5-6.
2. In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt. (Add chocolate if using.)
3. In another bowl, mash bananas thoroughly with a potato masher until puréed. Stir in sugar, beaten egg, milk/water and oil. (Add walnuts if using.)
4. Pour all of wet mixture into dry. Stir lightly just until evenly combined and no dry flour is visible. Batter should have a fairly thick dropping consistency.
5. Spoon into tins. Bake about 20 minutes until tops are lightly browned and spring back when pressed gently. Enjoy!

* With self-raising flour, omit baking powder; do not alter bicarbonate of soda.

Note for North American users: 10 oz (280 g) plain flour = 2¼ cups British plain flour. When using “all-purpose flour”, substitute 1¾ cups. Adjust liquid if necessary. 4 oz sugar = ½ cup sugar.