Eat Well This WinterStore Cupboard Cooking!

Winter is approaching fast, the nights are getting darker and the weather is getting colder. It’s a good idea to get ready in advance, think about buying an extra tin or packet when you shop to keep your cupboards and freezer stocked with a variety of foods (see suggestion list provided), only buy the foods you need though - remembering to

check the ‘Best Before’ dates regularly.Whatever your age it’s never too late to start thinking about healthy eating. Focus on eating regularly and getting the correct balance of foods in your diet. This will in turn help you feel better this winter.

Eat well this Winter• Eat regularly and eat a good variety

of foods each day.

• If your appetite is poor – eat little amounts often.

• Try to have at least one hot meal each day.

• Take hot drinks throughout the day and especially have one before bed.

• Eat fi sh at least twice a week, one of these should be oily fi sh such as salmon, mackerel, trout and sardines.

• Drink plenty water, aim to drink 6-8 glasses of fl uid each day.

• Be prepared; stock up your store cupboard with essential foods.

• Refer to the Store Cupboard Checklist on the back page of this leafl et– this should help you plan your winter shop!

Store Cupboard recipesThe recipes shown are made using ingredients from the store cupboard or the freezer.

You can replace the frozen vegetables, instant mash and milk with fresh ingredients; if you

have them. (The soup and corned beef hash recipes can be doubled freezing the leftovers)

Red Lentil & Tomato Soup

Corned Beef & Vegetable Hash

Ingredients:

Ingredients:

How To Make:

How To Make:

Cooking time 20-30 minutes(makes 3-4 portions)

Cooking time 30 minutes(Makes 2-3 portions)

• ½ mug red lentils (rinsed)

• ½ mug chopped onion (frozen)

• 1 tin chopped tomatoes or 1 carton tomato passata

• 1 stock cube (vegetable or chicken or ham)

• 1 teaspoon vegetable or olive oil

• 3 mugs water

• Pepper to taste

• 1 teaspoon garlic puree (optional)

• 1 tin (340g) corned beef

• 1 mug frozen mixed vegetables

• ½ mug chopped onion (frozen)

• 1 mug instant potato mash (approx ½ large packet)

• 1 beef extract cube

• 3 dessertspoons grated mature cheddar

• Pepper to taste

• 1 dessertspoon Worcester sauce (optional)

• Rinse lentils in a sieve with cold water.

• Place a medium pot on a high heat, add oil and onions.

• Stir well for 1 minute; add lentils, chopped tomatoes, stock cube and water, stir well.

• Reduce heat to medium, cook for 20-30 minutes until lentils are cooked, stirring occasionally.

• If preferred you can purée the soup using a hand blender (you may need to add more water).

• Pre heat oven to 220°C

• Break up corned beef into a deep ovenproof dish.

• Spread the frozen vegetables and onion over the corned beef.

• Dissolve beef stock cube in ½ mug boiling water (add Worcester sauce if required)

• Pour over corned beef and vegetables.

• Make up instant potato mix according to the packet so it is smooth, but not runny. Add pepper to taste.

• Top corned beef and vegetables with the mash.

• Place in oven, cook for 20 minutes.

• Remove from oven, sprinkle grated cheese on top, return dish to oven, and cook for 10 minutes.

Top TipUse a kitchen timer to remind you to check on food and to you to check on food and to prevent pans boiling dry.prevent pans boiling dry.

Top TipAlways wash your hands before preparing food.

Corned Beef & Vegetable Hash

Ingredients:How To Make: How To Make:

Cooking time 30 minutes(Makes 2-3 portions)

• ½ mug rice (long grain or pudding)

• 3 mugs milk (made from powdered milk)

• 1 dessertspoon sugar

• 2 dessertspoons dried mixed fruit

• Tinned fruit in natural juice (optional)

• ½ teaspoon cinnamon (optional)

• Pre heat oven to 220°C

• Break up corned beef into a deep ovenproof dish.

• Spread the frozen vegetables and onion over the corned beef.

• Dissolve beef stock cube in ½ mug boiling water (add Worcester sauce if required)

• Pour over corned beef and vegetables.

• Make up instant potato mix according to the packet so it is smooth, but not runny. Add pepper to taste.

• Top corned beef and vegetables with the mash.

• Place in oven, cook for 20 minutes.

• Remove from oven, sprinkle grated cheese on top, return dish to oven, and cook for 10 minutes.

• Make up powdered milk, following packet instructions, pour into a medium pot.

• Add rice, dried fruit, sugar and cinnamon.

• Place on a high heat and bring to the boil, stirring well.

• Reduce to medium heat, cook for 20 minutes or until rice is cooked stirring all the time.

• More milk can be added at this stage if you like a softer texture.

• Serve with some tinned fruit on the top.

Rice PuddingCooking time 20-30 minutes(Makes 2-3 portions)

Top TipStore cupboard items Store cupboard items should be checked should be checked every six months for their ‘best before’ date.

Store Cupboard checklistTins Soup

Beans - baked, kidney, chick peasFish - tinned tuna, salmon, mackerelFruit - tinned peaches, pineapple, prunesVegetables - sweetcorn, peas, tomatoesMeat - corned beef, ham, chickenTinned potatoesEvaporated milkPuddings - rice pudding, custard

Watch out - tinned vegetables can be high in salt. Choose ones labelled ‘No Added Salt’.

Choose fruit tinned in juice not in syrup.

Tinned beans (e.g. kidney, butter or baked) are quick and easy to heat and useful to add to stews and soups.

Dried FoodsPasta, rice, noodles and couscousInstant potato mashBreakfast cereals - porridge oatsCrackers, crispbreads, oatcakes, plain biscuitsDried beans, peas and lentilsDried Fruits – dates, sultanas, raisinsStock cubes and gravy powderPowdered milk, hot chocolate, cocoa powder, malted milk powderPackets of soup or sauce mixes e.g. cheese, white sauceTea, coffee and sugarInstant dessert mixes e.g. custard

Dried beans, peas and lentils (and other pulses) are all good sources of protein, vitamins, minerals and fi bre.

The supermarkets ‘own label’ brands are often cheaper than branded kinds.

Dried milk powder can be used for making custard, white sauces or in baking.

Bottles, Jarsor Cartons

Milk - long life, UHTPure Fruit Juice - long lifeLong-life yoghurts Puddings - rice, custard, jellyPasta saucesJam, marmalade, honeySauces - tomato, mayonnaiseChutneys and picklesMeat spreadCooking oil

If you’re underweight choose ‘full fat’ or ‘whole milk’.

Once UHT milk has been opened or dried milk powder has been made up they should be stored in the fridge and used as fresh milk.

Add frozen berries or dried fruits to yoghurts, rice pudding, custard or ice-cream.

Freezer Vegetables - peas, leeks, carrots, parsnips, mixed veg, chopped onions.Portions of meat and fi shRoast potatoes, chipsBread, rollsReady meals/Ice Cream

Divide a loaf of bread into smaller amounts and freeze then just take out what you need.

If you buy fresh vegetables to make soup e.g. leek or celery – wash and chop a little bit extra pop into a bag then freeze.

Tins

For more information on Clackmannanshire Healthier Lives or recipes, hints and tipsvisit www.nhsforthvalley.com/healthpromotion click on ‘Nutrition’

Produced by Clackmannanshire Healthier Lives Community Food Development Worker and NHS Forth Valley Community Dietitian, November 2015.