Monday, 5 October 2020

Photo of the day - 5: Vegetable gratin - good cold weather food



I do like a bit of home cooking. Ever since I got an allotment four years ago, I have been keen to have home-made meals using the crops I have grown. It has made me totally turned my back on ready meals and takeaways. Taking an active interest in my food has helped me maintain a healthy diet and stay off snacking, so that I can appreciate my meals. As the weather gets colder I like to have soups and what I call "warming" food. One of my favourites is vegetable gratin. Sometimes I do a plain old Gratin Dauphinoise with potatoes, sometimes a gratin with homegrown courgettes. Today I went to town a little and threw in various vegetables - courgette, parnips, carrots, sweet potatoes, mushrooms. Then I put single cream with garlic, onion, and fennel seeds, and cheese on the top. Into the oven for about an hour, and hey presto! The vegetable gratin is nice and filling, without much sugar, and great for appetite control. It's a bit like mountain food that gives me energy to be out on a cold day hiking or skiing. This vegetable gratin gives me the energy to do a nice long run or bike ride on an autumn day. Well, I just need to do a long a run or bike ride now, and not sit on the sofa watching Netflix!

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