Mid-winter cooking

I've been doing lots of cooking lately, because it's mid-winter here in Melbourne and I'm in dire need of warming foodstuffs (and the occasional scoop of icecream). I've mainly been into making hearty winter vegetable dishes and some 'healthy' sweet snacks and I thought I'd share links to some of the recipes, in case you need some foodspiration.

Lunch Lady's quinoa brittle is a pretty great sweet treat. Photo by Susan Fitzgerald.

Lunch Lady's quinoa brittle is a pretty great sweet treat. Photo by Susan Fitzgerald.

It might be winter but that doesn't stop me making matcha ice-cream. Photo by Susan Fitzgerald.

It might be winter but that doesn't stop me making matcha ice-cream. Photo by Susan Fitzgerald.

Lunch Lady's Walnut, Oat and Beetroot Tart. The one recipe I can't find online, sorry! But it's in Issue 6, which is a great read. Photo by Susan Fitzgerald.

Lunch Lady's Walnut, Oat and Beetroot Tart. The one recipe I can't find online, sorry! But it's in Issue 6, which is a great read. Photo by Susan Fitzgerald.

Lunch Lady's quinoa brittle, just out of the oven. I'm looking forward to trying some other recipes next - this quinoa crunch, these quinoa snack bars and peanut butter quinoa crunch. Photo by Susan Fitzgerald.

Lunch Lady's quinoa brittle, just out of the oven. I'm looking forward to trying some other recipes next - this quinoa crunch, these quinoa snack bars and peanut butter quinoa crunchPhoto by Susan Fitzgerald.

This pumpkin, lentil and kale bake with cauliflower cheese from My Darling Lemon Thyme is sooo delicious.

This rich carrot soup recipe from The Guardian is simple and so amazingly vibrant in colour.

This roasted pumpkin soup with chickpea migas, also from My Darling Lemon Thyme, is hearty and filling and you'll have to stop yourself from eating all the crouton-like migas in one sitting.

This Persian red lentil soup with tahini, beetroot and fried mint from Gourmet Traveller is flavoursome, hearty and tastes even better the next day.

Cauliflower rice - is it the best thing ever!? It's so easy to cook and is tasty, healthy and filling. You just grate or food process raw cauliflower and fry up with whatever you've got on hand -  some spices, olive oil, salt and pepper. 

Now I'm off to pretend I'm warm and on holidays in the sun.