Happy Friday! I hope you aren’t all too chilly and full of the January blues?! It’s certainly has been a corker of a winter here in Cornwall and I’m pretty much ready to step into spring now. Though I have noticed – whether coincidence or not – that my first vegan winter I have largely escaped any colds or virus’; the darkness and constant cold chill is starting to wear me down a little. I’m dreaming of fresh spring salads and cold white wine in the warm sun, with no log burner or intensive moisture in sight!

But as my weekly veg box is proving, we are still in the winter season or root veg and warming dishes. So this week I thought I would share my latest favourite comfort food; creamy, garlicky, herby courgettes and barley. It’s sooo easy to make and is really satisfying on a cold wintery day. Courgettes are still going strong as a seasonal star and cooking them like this is a great way to pack them into a dish and make the most of their delicious taste. And barley is just the most awesome winter warmer and a great alternative to rice in curries too.

Herby, “creamy” Garlic Courgettes and Barley

Ingredients

1 cup of barley
1 large courgette
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
Juice of half a lemon
1tbsp of dried sage (or whatever your fab herb is)
2 chestnut mushrooms, finely chopped
A bob of dairy free spread
2 tbsp. of garlic and herb dairy free cream cheese (optional, if trying to be good!)

Method

1. Slice the courgette into 1 inch thick disks, then slice into strips.

2. In a small saucepan bring 3 cups of salted water to boil and add the barley.

3. Meanwhile, heat the spread in a deep frying pan or wok and lightly fry the onions and garlic. Add a squeeze a lemon. Once the onions appear translucent, add the courgettes and mushroom and cook for a further 10 minutes.