Energy Saving Recipes

Groundhouse 'Hercules' Porridge

Serves: 4

Prep time: 5 mins

Slow cooker: overnight

Hob: 20 mins

250g oats

900ml boiling water

pinch salt

handful of dried fruit

½ apple grated

¼ block block coconut (optional)

1t cinnamon

 

If using a slow cooker place all ingredients in it when you go to bed. Set a timer so the power only goes on at about 3am. The porridge will be ready by 7am. Serve with homemade fruit compote or fresh/frozen berries, toasted seeds, honey or yoghurt.  Alternatively, add boiling water and cook on the hob by simmering for around 20 minutes.

 

 

Nettle Soup (available Spring and Autumn)

Serves: 4

Prep time: 15 mins

Slow cooker: 5-7 hrs

Hob: 45 mins

½ carrier bag full of nettle tops

bunch of fresh parsley

1 onion

2 garlic

1 large potato

1 litre kettle boiled water

2 t bouillion

pinch of nutmeg

2 T crème fraiche/milk

 

Fry onion and garlic. Add the nutmeg and fry for a minute. Add the potato, water and bouillion. Add the nettles and return to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are soft. Remove from the heat, season with salt and pepper and blend. Add creme fraiche /milk and serve. Alternatively, cook in slow cooker for several hours.

 

 

Leek, Butternut and Pear Soup

 

Serves 4

Prep time: 20 mins

Slow Cooker: All day/overnight

Hob: 50 mins

1 leek

1 onion

2 cloves garlic

1 potato

800g butternut

1 pear

1 t cumin seeds

4 fresh thyme sprigs/1 t dried

450ml water

2 t bouillion

creme fraiche to serve (optional)

 

Saute onion, leek. garlic and cumin for 2/3 minutes. Add the butternut, potato and pear, and fry for another 5/6 minutes. Put these and all the remaining ingredients in a pot, and cover with boiling water from the kettle (more energy efficient than boiling on stove). Bring back up to a rolling boil for a few minutes. Pour into slow cooker for several hours, depending on the type of slow cooker.

 

 

Home-made Chicken Stock

Leftover bones from cooked chicken

1 t black peppercorns

1 t white peppercorns

1/2 bulb garlic

3 bay leaves

handful hard herbs like rosemary and thyme

any carrot tops or the ends of vegetable you might have otherwise thrown out

if not put in 1 leek/onion

a couple of carrots roughly chopped

2 stalks celery.

Fill pot ¾ full with hot water

 

This tastes so much better when cooked at home, but it does usually require simmering away for 4 hrs on the cooker top. Instead bring all the ingredients to the boil on the cooker top, and then place into slow cooker. Leave it to cook all day or overnight. Remove and discard fatty film off surface and keep the stock in fridge. Or freeze in an ice cube tray and use as needed.

 

 

 

The Great British Broadbean Stew

Serves 4

Prep time: 15 mins

Slow Cooker: all day/overnight

Hob Cooking: at least an hr

 

2 large carrots thinly sliced

300g pumpkin cubed

250g broadbeans (fresh/frozen)

2 sticks celery 

2 garlic cloves cut 

1 large onion diced

200g fresh tomatoes /1 tin tomatoes

5 cups boiled water

1 bay leaf

1 bunch fresh parsley

2 sprigs fresh rosemary

2 sprigs of thyme

4 t marigold stock

salt and black pepper to taste

 

Slice and dice all vegetables and chop parsley. Put all the ingredients except salt and pepper into a pot and bring to the boil. Then simmer for at least an hr. If using slow cooker place all ingredients into slow cooker on low and leave all day, or overnight to ensure its cooked. Once cooked season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. 

Serve with crusty bread and butter or mashed potato (or polenta if you include an import from Europe).

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