Snap up some seasonal vegetables and make Mrs Crunch’s hearty recipes the family will love

SNAPPING up seasonal vegetables is the perfect way to make hearty family meals that are bursting with goodness and flavour this winter.

Trusty options like onions, swede and garlic add taste and texture to any dish and with prices reduced to just 50p on Morrisons Market Street today, it is time to stock up and save on these store-cupboard essentials. Here are three wholesome recipes the whole family will love.

Roast chicken with root vegetables, sage and shallot stuffing – £2.65 per serving

Serves four

Preparation: 15 minutes

Cooking: 30 minutes

YOU NEED:

• 50ml olive oil
• 150g onion
• 150g carrots
• 150g swede
• 150g parsnips
• 150g new potatoes
• 8 chicken thighs, skinless
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 2 garlic clove
• 1 chicken stock cube
• 25g tomato puree
• 100g shallots
• 25g butter
• 1 pack sage & onion stuffing

METHOD: Begin by preparing the vegetables. Peel and chop the onion, carrots, swede and parsnip into bite-sized chunks. Wash and quarter the new potatoes.

Cut the chicken thighs in half, strip and chop the rosemary and crush the garlic.

Mix all the above with the crumbled stock cube, tomato puree and oil.

Place the mixture in a roasting tray, in a hot oven, at 200C and cook for 15 minutes.

Remove from the oven and stir well. Add a little water if the vegetables or chicken has got too dry.

Pop the tray back in the oven and bake for a further 15 minutes at 180C.

Meanwhile, peel and finely chop the shallots, then gently fry them in butter without allowing them to brown.

When the shallots are soft, add them to stuffing mix with hot water, as per the instructions on the packet.

Leave to stand for 5 minutes then divide into 8 stuffing balls.

Place the stuffing on a separate roasting tray alongside the chicken-and-vegetable bake.

When the stuffing balls are browned, remove everything from the oven and serve.

Piperade (Basque Scrambled Eggs) – £1.92 per serving

Serves four

Preparation: 10 minutes

Cooking: 20 minutes

YOU NEED:

• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 60g gluten-free chorizo sausage
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 red pepper, deseeded and diced
• 1 green pepper, deseeded and diced
• 2 large tomatoes, peeled, deseeded and diced
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 small red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped (optional)
• 8 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 4 slices gluten-free bread

METHOD: Heat 2tbsp of olive oil in a large, heavy frying pan over a medium heat. Fry the chorizo, onions and peppers gently for 10 minutes, or until the vegetables have softened.

Add the tomatoes, garlic and chilli (if using), frying until they are warmed through.

Season the beaten eggs with salt and pepper then slowly stir into the vegetables, loosely scrambling the egg to your desired level of firmness.

Toast the bread and generously butter or drizzle with olive oil. Arrange on four plates, and top with a generous spoonful of the eggs. Serve immediately.

Ham, mushroom and garlic tagliatelli – £1.28 per serving

Serves four

Preparation: 2 minutes

Cooking: 15 minutes

YOU NEED:

• 1 tin Princes Cured Ham
• 250g tagliatelle
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 150g closed-cup mushrooms, chopped
• 180g low-fat soft cheese
• 1 handful fresh parsley, chopped

METHOD: Cut the ham into 1cm cubes and set aside.

Cook the pasta according to the pack instructions in plenty of boiling, lightly salted water.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the garlic for 30-40 seconds.

Add the mushrooms and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring often, over a medium heat.

Add the ham and stir thoroughly then remove from the heat.

Drain the cooked pasta in a colander, reserving 4tbsp of the cooking water. Return the cooking water to the saucepan, add the soft cheese and stir to combine over a medium heat.

Mix in the ham and the mushrooms, then tip in the pasta, stirring gently until piping hot.
Serve topped with some of the chopped fresh parsley.