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Warming sausage Stew

Warming Chicken Sausage Stew

Here at College News HQ, we secretly love the colder months, not least for the opportunity to wrap up, eat seasonal, warming food and get stuck into a good book. Join us and get into the winter spirit with this super warming chicken sausage stew. With these ingredients already lurking in your pantry (and nutrient-and-protein-rich to boot), this recipe offers an easy, guilt-free supper for those colder nights. For a chunkier soup, add cubed squash, carrots or sliced celery.

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp oil
  • 340g fully cooked chicken sausages, sliced
  • 2 garlic cloves, sliced
  • 2 cups cannellini beans, rinsed
  • 425ml chicken broth
  • 425g diced tomatoes
  • 1 bunch kale leaves, torn
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • Slices crusty bread, to serve

Method

  1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add chicken sausage and cook until browned for about 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  2. Stir in the garlic, and cook for a further 2 minutes.
  3. Add the cannellini beans, broth and tomatoes to the pan and bring to the boil.
  4. Stir in the kale and season to taste. Simmer until kale has wilted (this may take 2-3 minutes).
  5. Ladle steaming chicken sausage stew into bowls and serve with crusty bread for dipping.

Love this warming chicken sausage stew? Try out our delicious mushroom risotto, here.

Pumpkin Soup

Food for Fall: Pumpkin Soup

Pumpkins are more than just lantern fodder for Halloween, you know. This hardy root vegetable is harvested September through October and is an excellent health source to get you through the colder months. Filled to the brim with fiber, potassium and vitamin C, these striking orange-colored veggies support heart health and regulate blood pressure. Pumpkin seeds alone are dense with nutrients and antioxidants that are linked to a reduced risk of certain cancers and they improve heart health, providing a flavorful healthy snack. Wash pumpkin seeds after gutting the vegetable before storing.

Go on, get in the fall spirit with our hearty—and super tasty—pumpkin soup; the perfect meal for lunch with a book.

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 600g pumpkin flesh, chopped
  • 2 celery sticks, chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1tsp coriander
  • 800ml vegetable stock
  • 200ml coconut milk
  • 1 tsp pumpkin seeds

Method

  1. Using a food processor, whiz the pumpkin flesh until nearly smooth. Then add celery, garlic, cumin and coriander and process for an extra 30 seconds. Empty the mixture into a large pan.
  2. Pour vegetable stock and coconut milk into the mixture and combine. Bring to the boil and simmer for about 15 minutes.
  3. When ready, pour into a food processor and whiz until smooth. Spoon into bowls and garnish with pumpkin seeds. Excess soup can be stored in airtight containers in the freezer.
  4. Serve with bread (optional).

Adapted from Good Housekeeping. 

Love this pumpkin soup? Try our creamy mushroom risotto, here.

Chocolate Truffles

Tasty Chocolate Truffles

These easy-to-make chocolate truffles are the perfect indulgence for when the nights draw in and the fall edges ever closer. Our tasty chocolate truffles are delicious on their own, or you could shake things up with different toppings including cocoa powder, crushed pistachio or cashew nuts or desiccated coconut. Go on, give it a go!

Ingredients

  • 300g dark chocolate, 70% cocoa solids
  • 1 ½ cups double cream
  • 50g unsalted butter

Method

  1. Break the chocolate up into small pieces and place into a bowl.
  2. Pour the cream and butter into a sauce pan and gently heat until the butter melts and the cream reaches simmering point.
  3. Pour the cream and butter mixture over the chocolate and combine until smooth. Cool and chill for at least 4 hours.
  4. To shape the truffles, scoop up the truffle mixture with a melon baller or a spoon, and shape into balls with clean hands.
  5. Gently roll the truffles in crushed pistachios, desiccated coconut or cocoa powder for extra flair (optional).
  6. Chill in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to a month.

If you loved making these chocolate truffles, try our Chocolate Rose Petal Cookies Recipe.