Warm Up With Winter Meals That Won't Pile On The Kilos

By Melissa Kehagias

Winter is a time to rug up by the heater and sip on hot soup and tea, but it doesn’t just have to be a season of warm liquids. Rescu. has pulled together a few recipes to keep you warm this winter and spice up the dinner table in the coming months!

If you’re looking for a cookbook that specialises in this stormy season, then try out Weigh It Up Australia’s very first recipe book Winter Warmers. The recipe book contains recipes that will leave you feeling full but wont pile on those daunting winter kilos and have been complied by Weigh It Up Australia’s Food Consultant Julie White, Healthy Living Ambassador Giaan Rooney and Allergy-Friendly Cooking Expert Barbara Macciolli. Try out the recipes below from the Winter Warmers recipe book and you’ll be feeling warmer, fuller and healthier in no time!

Smoked Paprika Beans

For those who don’t like commercial baked beans, this is a quick and healthy weekend breakfast alternative. Make extra and freeze in portion-control packs.

Serves: 2 Prep: 2 mins Cooking: 20 mins

oil spray

1 red onion, finely chopped

1 tsp ground Cumin Spice Mix*

1 clove garlic, crushed

400g can crushed tomatoes

400g can butter beans, rinsed

1?2 tsp salt

1?4 bunch flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped, plus extra to serve toasted

sourdough bread

20g low-fat feta, crumbled

*Cumin Spice Mix

2 tsp ground cumin

2 tsp ground coriander

1?2 tsp black peppercorns

3?4 tsp smoked paprika

1?2 tsp sweet paprika

1?4 tsp ground chilli

To make spice mix, combine all ingredients and store in an airtight container. You can use this later in a casserole, soup or as a rub for meat, chicken, fish or vegetables. If you have the time, it’s great to roast and grind your own spices.

To make beans, heat a non-stick frying pan sprayed with oil over medium heat. Add onion, spray with a little more oil and cook for 5 minutes or until onion has softened. Add cumin spice mix and garlic and cook for a further 3 minutes until the spices are aromatic.

Add tomatoes, bring to a simmer and cook over medium heat, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until the sauce reduces and thickens.

Add beans, reduce heat to low and cook for a further 5 minutes to heat through and to allow flavours to infuse. Stir through parsley and serve on toast sprinkled with feta and extra parsley.

Roast Loin of Pork with Baked Apples & Quinoa Stuffing

Stuffing is usually laden with breadcrumbs, so this quinoa version is perfect for those who are gluten intolerant. Be mindful of portion size, this is a special occasion dish only!

Serves: 8 Prep: 1 hour Cooking: 2 hours

2kg boned loin of pork

2 tsp sea salt

8 small apples (eg granny smith)

oil spray

Quinoa, Sage & Walnut Stuffing

2 cups vegetable stock

1 cup quinoa

oil spray

1 leek, halved lengthways, finely sliced

1 stalk celery, halved lengthways, finely sliced

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

4 tbs chopped sage

4 tbs chopped parsley

1?3 cup roasted walnuts, roughly chopped

1 large sweet potato, steamed and mashed

To make the stuffing, bring stock to the boil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add quinoa, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and set aside for 5–10 minutes to steam. Fluff grains with a fork and set aside.

Heat a separate frying pan sprayed with oil over medium heat. Add leek and celery, season and cook for 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add garlic sage and cook for a further 2 minutes. Add parsley, walnuts, sweet potato and quinoa and mix well to combine.

To prepare the pork, preheat oven to 220°C. Score the pork skin at 1cm intervals. Turn over and spread quinoa stuffing over the inside of the pork meat. Roll up and tie with cooking string to secure. Rub skin with sea salt. Transfer to a rack in a large baking pan and cook for 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 180°C and cook for a further 40 minutes.

Prick the apples all over with a fork. Spray lightly with oil spray and arrange in roasting pan with pork. Cook with pork for a further 20–30 minutes. The meat should be cooked through and the skin crispy. Transfer to a board and cover with foil.

Set aside for 10 minutes to rest. Remove string before carving. Serve with apples.

Note:

? A good butcher will help you stuff and roll the loin. Any excess stuffing can be baked in an ovenproof dish and served with a green salad for vegetarian guests.

Cobram Estate has also shared with us one of Executive Chef of the European Group, Ian Curley’s, recipes which features one of Cobram Estate’s Extra Virgin Olive Oils to add that extra ounce of flavour to a perfect winter meal.

Moreton Bay Bug, Crispy Chicken, Cabbage & Chervil Salad.

Crispy Chicken Wings

10 Chicken wings

2tsp Smoked sweet paprika

½tsp Sea salt

50ml Cobram estate “light and delicate” extra virgin olive oil

Freshly milled black pepper

Roast chicken wings in a hot oven until well cooked. Remove and allow to cool.

Carefully remove the skin and pick the meat from the wings, keep the skin separated from the meat.

For 1 salad: use the meat from about 1 wing (about ½ dariole) and a piece of skin.

Place the meat on a pizza tray with the skin on top, & reheat under the grill

Bug Salad

70 g Moreton Bay bug meat or 3 bugs diced panfried in a little veg oil

70g julienne cabbage

25g smoked eel, diced

2g chervil

2g mint leaves

2 turns of peppermill

2 pinches salt

½ Tblspn lemon juice

1 Tblspn Cobram estate “light and delicate” olive oil

Mix all of this through. At the last minute add your roasted, warmed and crispy chicken wings and skin.

The Weigh It Up Winter Warmers Recipe Book is available at independent newsagents nationally; online at www.weighitup.com.au and Chemist Warehouse nationally. Recommended Retail price is $8.95.

To find out more about Cobram Estate’s olive oils and Ian Curley visit https://www.cobramestate.com.au/