My husband and I were lucky enough to be able to support each other for the first year after opening the store. We knew that with two little girls under 3 at least one of us would need to be at home with them most of the time, they also spend a few hours every week at an amazing childcare. (this place deserves its own post so I will go into it another day!)
So having one of us at home all the time meant that meals weren’t really a big deal, something could always be whipped up. But now both of us are at work or I’m rushing around picking up and dropping off the girls I don’t really have the chance to think about what to cook for dinner let alone actually cook it!
I am trying to make a conscious effort to prepare healthy, easy meals for dinner so I am going to let someone else do the thinking for me. Good idea right?
As the rain patters down outside I have been scouring Eleanor’s beautiful blog- Petite Kitchen for something warming and hearty and this is the delicious looking meal I am going to attempt for tonight’s meal.
CREAMY & COMFORTING VEGETABLE CASSEROLE PACKED WITH FRAGRANT HERBS & RED RICE
3 tbsp butter, ghee or olive oil
1 bulb of garlic, each clove roughly chopped
1 leek, roughly sliced
2 tbsp honey, maple or brown rice syrup
a large handful of sage and thyme, roughly chopped
2 cups of roughly chopped portobello mushrooms
4 sweet potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped
6 cups of good quality vegetable or chicken stock
1 cup red rice
1 cup peas, fresh or frozen
4 spring onions, roughly chopped
juice of half a lemon
sea salt
pepper
Heat the butter, ghee or olive oil in a large heavy bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and leeks, and saute for 5 minutes or so until softened. Add the honey and herbs, and continue to cook while stirring until slightly caramelised.
Add the mushrooms, sweet potatoes, stock and rice. Bring to the boil, and then simmer on low for 40 minutes, or until the rice is almost cooked through. You can add a little more stock or water if you need to.
Add the peas, spring onions and lemon juice, and cook for a further five minutes.
Remove from the heat, and season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
Leave to cool slightly before serving.
Serves 4
*gluten free
*dairy free
*vegetarian
The Shopkeeper 