Lighting the fireplace, curling up on the sofa with a book and indulging in comfort food are some of winter’s delights we all enjoy throughout the season. Cooking up a storm feels like the most intuitive way to warm up from within but what are the best winter food to get you a little warmer? As always, mother nature comes to the rescue. Wholegrain, spices and winter root vegetables are your go to ingredients to mix and match and experiment with this month.
Wholegrains are super nutritious, packed with countless health benefits and some are perfect as winter warmers. Especially Buckwheat, Corn, Millet, Brown Rice, Rye and Spelt. So much to explore, lucky our winter is so long. I love different combinations of these beautiful grains with winter vegetables with the addition of warming spices to support our bodies through winter.
Porridge is the perfect winter breakfast, try swapping oats for millet in your next porridge with coconut milk, cinnamon, cardamom , honey and a dash of orange blossom, top with dries apricots and pistachios for a wholesome decadent breakfast. It will take about 20 minutes to cook from scratch.
Buckwheat groats are always super delicious. Cook buckwheat, toss it through Tumeric , Ginger & Cumin spiced roasted vegetables and finish with chopped coriander for a delicious warm vegetable salad (a drizzle of tahini dressing will add a little pizazz ✨).
For your next Risotto you must give Farro a g go. Farro is an ancient grain related to Wheat only nuttier in flavour, easier to digest and just damn delicious. Add roasted pumpkin, toss through spinach at the and mustn’t forget generous amount of Pecorino shavings.
Brown Rice have also warming properties and one of the heartiest dishes I’ve been loving since childhood is Mjadra. A pilaf of rice & lentil cooked with bay leaf, black pepper and a touch of cumin, with caramelised onions tossed through and a drizzle of yoghurt & chopped mint. Too easy and simply delicious.
Last but not least on my warming grain list is the humble Rye and what easier way of enjoying it than a hearty slab of toasted Rye Sourdough with your favourite topping.
So there you go. Warming grains, spices and winter veg are great for winter. Experiment, chop and change grains in your recipes, spice them up and keep warm this last month of winter ? .
Discover delicious grains here.
