Now is the time to cosy up for the cooler weather ahead with slow-cooked family meals, hearty soups and sweet treats, baked with love. We’ve all been spending more time indoors lately and you may have rediscovered your inner domestic goddess as a result! Sharing classic stews rich with flavour, homemade bread fresh from the oven and yummy sweet cakes and puddings, oozing luscious seasonal fruit. Embrace the chance to stay home and create a more gentle pace during the cooler months, to craft and create food that’s begging to be shared.
Brrr! Let’s bake up a storm
For those who love baking, the months during autumn and winter is a lovely time of year to spend in the kitchen, perfecting recipes, trying new ones and returning to family favourites. Welcome the cooler weather and stay indoors proving bread dough, rolling out scones and watching biscuits crisp and cupcakes rise. Enlist the help of the kids to get hands on and use baking as an educational tool, learning and sharing as you go.
Waste not, want not
There’s so much you can make from scratch with just a few core ingredients. Scour cookbooks or jump online for recipes to help you start from scratch to make your own pasta, bake bread or explore new ways to use unfamiliar ingredients. Make the most of what you have and avoid food wastage as you go! 
Stocktake your equipment
Take a good look at your bakeware - perhaps it’s time to retire your old muffin pan or treat yourself to a flan tin with a loose base for that sweet tart recipe you’ve been eyeing off? Does your stand mixer need an upgrade? Browse your favourite retailer’s online offering for new inspiration for your kitchenware and appliances. Reach to the back of your cupboards for extra baking dishes and push your slow cooker back into service. Or go all in and invest in a new oven and cooktop - you’ll be amazed at the difference it can make to your cooking! Gas or electric, integrated or freestanding, measure up, compare the options online and talk live to the experts to explore the possibilities for your kitchen setup and budget.
Review your recipes
How’s the health rating on your current meal rotation? Winter doesn’t have to mean a thicker waistline! Do your research and explore new recipes or splurge on a cookbook from your favourite health-conscious chef to get inspired. Look for healthy alternatives to family favourites that are carb-heavy or contain a high fat content. Reduce your carbon footprint by reducing your meat intake and adding more vegetables to your diet. Your body and the planet will thank you!
A new twist on old favourites
- Turn a bolognese recipe into a hearty meat pie by adding extra vegetables and a crispy puff pastry top
- Cook your favourite pasta dish ahead of time, then bake in a casserole dish in layers, alternating cooked pasta with vegetables, extra sauce and a cheesy breadcrumb topping
- Pimp your vegetable rotation by switching side salads for roasted chunks of pumpkin, sweet potato, beetroot and eggplant - toss with a roughly chopped onion, a little olive oil, salt and pepper or add your favourite seasoning
- Take soups next level in flavour by roasting vegetables before you add them
- Up satisfaction levels of soup with the addition of healthy beans and pulses - soak overnight beforehand or simply strain from the can and stir through