I’m sitting here in my woolly socks and comfy workout clothes (although I have no intention of working out today) with a large cup of tea and the underfloor heating on. We had a massive rain shower earlier and Lewis came back from football absolutely drenched and a bit shivery, so I made us an early lunch of homemade soda bread and lentil & cheddar soup……. I LOVE AUTUMN! There’s something about the changing of the seasons that always creates a little buzz of excitement in my belly. Naturally for me, my mind turns to all the lovely recipes that I plan to make in Autumn.
The vibrant colours and intense flavours of seasonal veg like Kale (not just any kale, try Cavolo Nero- or black kale - for a real punch), pumpkin, blackberries, apples, damsons and plums. I’m getting a little giddy with it all!! And although food comes first, who can resist the big sweaters, woolly hats, crunchy leaves, crisp air and the joy of a mug of hot chocolate (whoops, back on the food and drink again). ????☕???? Can’t wait to get my woolly pom-pom bobble hat out - when bad hair days can be completely hidden 😀 Autumn comfort food often implies creamy soups, gravy-filled pies and puddings served with steaming custard (er yes please. I’ll have all of those for dinner). I will, however, try to maintain some semblance of balance this Autumn - starting with this ultra tasty spicy chicken bowl. It’s kind of like a salad, but most of it is warm (you can serve it cold if you prefer - great for packed lunches).
It’s got a bit of a middle-eastern vibe with spiced chicken (seasoned with cumin, sumac, garlic, cinnamon, coriander and a few other goodies), chilli-flecked couscous, hummus (I went for shop-bought on this one) and paprika-fried chickpeas. Lot’s of mouth-watering flavours - the Spicy Chicken Nourish Bowl is like a buffet in a bowl! ????????