Derval O'Rourke: Warm up with my Butternut Squash & Bean Stew

Plus: the small and simple ways we can make a difference with how we consume food

Derval O'Rourke's Butternut Squash & Bean Stew

I was recently at an event where the main topic was sustainability. 

We were discussing this in the context of our work lives. Work is such a huge part of our day-to-day living yet it’s impossible not to think about sustainability’s importance at home too. 

Work habits and home habits are so intertwined. 

I kept thinking about the ways we eat and wondering what small and simple ways we can make a difference with how we consume food.

5 Ideas for Winter Shopping & Cooking

1. Choose Seasonal Produce

Think about ingredients that are in season and grown locally. 

One of the key benefits of this is that you eat differently and depend on the time of year to give you more variety.

2. Consider Frozen Foods

Irish food company Green Isle shares a statistic that approximately €700 could be saved by Irish families annually if they reduced their food waste. 

Frozen options are really helpful, have great nutrition content and give you a good choice of products at a high quality. 

You can use what you need and leave the rest in the freezer for another day. I add frozen vegetables to my dinners 3 or 4 times a week.

3. Learn to Bake Just One Recipe

I’m not a great baker but I can make a simple brown bread. This reduces how often I buy packaged bread. 

There are lots of very simple baking recipes that you could learn that would reduce the amount of packaged baked goods you buy.

4. Mindful Meat Consumption

I’m a meat eater but I have become far more conscious of how much meat I consume and try to be mindful of other options. A simple idea is to reduce meat in a recipe like a beef stew and add mixed beans or lentils.

5. Reduce Waste

Consider what you are throwing out and how it could be used instead of binned. Think about using vegetable peelings for stocks or making broths from bones. I cook a roast chicken regularly and at this time of year I’ll use the leftovers to make a chicken stock that I’ll add the leftover roasted veggies too, making a delicious winter soup.

Seasonal Flavours

The Squash & Gourd Family

Pumpkins and butternut squash have always been a favourite of mine at this time of year. You can make a quick and delicious soup with them by roasting and blending them. They are delicious added to curries. They are on the sweeter side so they go great with savoury dishes and can take a lot of seasoning. I love butternut squash and sage risotto, it’s one of the tastiest combinations.

The Brassica Family

This includes Brussels sprouts, cabbages and kale. When sprouts are shredded finely, they make a great winter salad or slaw, or can be added to a pesto pasta for some fibre and texture. They are quite hearty and can be cooked for long periods of time without losing their structure. Similar to sprouts, cabbages and kale are hearty and strong and make great additions to stews and soups to give them extra flavour, texture and fibre!

Pears & Apples

Both make delicious options for overnight oats. Simply grate them into a bowland cover with oats and juice. Spices such as cinnamon and ginger are great in there too for a delicious combination.

Consider the season that you’re cooking in and how you choose what to eat; this not only helps you be a little more sustainable but is also good for saving money.

Wellness Tip: As the weather gets colder, make sure you are eating a good variety of foods that are nutrient-dense.

Fitness Tip: Find a way to workout at home when the days feel just too cold to go outside! This could be having some free weights at home or a go-to home workout circuit.

Butternut Squash & Bean Stew

recipe by:Derval O'Rourke

A savoury stew for long evenings!

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Cooking Time

 30 mins

Total Time

 40 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp coconut oil

• 4 garlic cloves, crushed

• 1 onion, finely chopped

• ½ chilli, finely chopped

• a thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger, grated

• 2 cardamom pods

• 1 tbsp cumin seeds

• 1 tbsp turmeric

• 1 star anise

• 1 butternut squash, peeled, deseeded, diced

• 1 aubergine, diced

• 400g tin of chopped tomatoes

• 2 tbsp soy sauce

• 1 tbsp honey

• 400g tin of mixed beans

• a handful of coriander leaves

• 4 tbsp flaked almonds

• 4 tbsp Greek yoghurt

Method

1. Melt the coconut oil in a large pan over medium heat.

2. Add the garlic, onion, chilli and ginger and cook for about 5 minutes.

3. Stir frequently and add a splash of water if the pan gets dry. Stir in the spices and cook for 2 minutes. Add the squash and aubergine and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.

4. Add the tomatoes, soy sauce and honey and stir well.

5. Cover the pan and simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

6. When the vegetables are tender, stir in the beans and heat through.

7. Divide the stew between warmed serving bowls.

8. Sprinkle over the coriander and flaked almonds.

9. Top with a dollop of Greek yoghurt and serve.