26 Seasonal Recipes – Simple and in Season December Round Up

Where did January go?!

Simple and in Season December was a feast for all the senses – beautiful colours, aromas (I’m sure) and even some interesting textures! This selection is perfect for bookmarking for next year and perhaps you’ll spot a few ideas for the cold, dark evenings of January in the UK or the brighter climes of other parts of the world.

If you are looking for the current round of Simple and in Season January, it’s being hosted by the lovely Sarah of Maison Cupcake here. The link up follows Sarah’s Cavolo nero and banana smoothie.

Soups, Nibbles and Smoothies

1. If you are on a healthy kick or better still, are joining in with Jumpstart 2015, then you’ll love this Spiced Clementine and Cranberry Smoothie by Laura at How to Cook Good Food.

2.  I also made some tasty Leek and Poppy Seed Sausage Rolls – great for an anytime after-school snack.

3. Juliane at Style Nectar made some wonderful Buttery No-Wheat Thin Crackers with Aged Tree Nut Cheese and a Cranberry Compote – both raw and vegan – double bonus points!

4.  Whilst the team at ProWare Kitchen were busy roasting their nuts, sending across these gorgeous Rosemary Roasted Nuts served in one of their cute mini copper pans.

5. I’m firmly in soup mode at the moment, so this Spicy Roasted Squash and Apple Soup by Sarah at Tales from the Kitchen Shed is on my hit-list this week.

6. My ‘feed a crowd’ simple and very tasty Cod, Chorizo and Pea Puree Bites scored many bonus points over Christmas. However, the pea puree, cod and chorizo can also be scaled up (just chop the cod into slightly bigger chunks) to make a perfect starter or even a main course (especially good for those on a protein diet!)

Sauces, Sides and Slow Cooks

7. I tend to cook with plums a little later on in the year, so I’ll definitely look forward to making this Red Plum Chutney by Sadhna at Herbs, Spices and Tradition especially as I received a lovely spice tin full of goodies for Christmas. Although Sarah’s recipe is vegan, I think it would go really well with some roast chicken, Diana Henry-style.

8. It’s citrus season in Houston! With her garden bounty, Francine of Life in the Food Lane made a beautifully bright Kumquat Cranberry Compote as well as a Satsuma, Ginger and Cayenne marinade perfect for pork and fish (which I’m eating lots of currently!)

9. Sally at My Custard Pie over in Dubai made a Slow Cooker Braised Red Cabbage…tapping into her Polish roots perhaps and feeding a crowd at Christmas with ease.

10. Speaking of red cabbage, Ema at De Tour Coeur Limousin, suggests adding a spoonful of her delightful sounding Earl Grey Prunes with Bay Cardamom and Orange either to your red cabbage or to your breakfast yogurt – love the versatility of this recipe.

11. Ema, this time in snowy Limousin, at De Tour Coeur Limousin also made a Beef Mafé (West African groundnut stew) – a recipe given to her by her friend Susanne, the master of spicy stews and slow cooking.

Seasonal Mains

12. Nazima over at Franglais Kitchen made a truly seasonal main of Brussels Sprout and Root Vegetable Bubble and Squeak with Braised Chicken. Nazima says the bubble and squeak is a “traditional English dish that uses up the remains of roasted vegetables to make crispy fritters. Hash (US) or Stoemp (Flemish) would be a similar concoction”.

13. Laura at How to Cook Good Food also came back to us with her Christmas Vegetable Strudel, filled with squash, leeks, Brussel sprouts, cranberries, stilton and spinach. I currently have lots of these in my veg box along with a huge jar of Stilton cheese to use up…so I know what I’ll be making.

14. Ema at De Tour Coeur Limousin joined in again, this time with a beautifully simple and elegant version of a Polish classic, Ryba Po Grecku, or Greeky-style fish, which is white fish dish on a bed of mild onions, carrots and spices.

Sweet Treats

15. I adored the idea of this Apple, Cranberry and Pecan Tart Tatin by Sue from Pen and Spoon (a new Simple and in Seasoner, I believe – Hello!)

16. In warmed climes (Melbourne) Johanna at Green Gourmet Giraffe made Strawberry Dumplings with the 1kg of strawberries she found at her local market.

17. In a little twist on a festive classic, Laura at How to Cook Goof Food made Roasted Pear and Mincemeat Crumble Tarts – delicious.

18. Whilst Sarah over at Tales from the Kitchen Shed shared her amazing Black Forest Chocolate Pudding – definitely bookmarked for next Christmas!

19. Once again, Ema at De Tout Coeur Limousin lured me in with her Sticky Toffee Pudding with Earl Grey and Rum recipe.

20. Whilst Juliane at Style Nectar got super-creative with her pumpkin and made a Bread Pudding Stuffed Pumpkin with Creme Caramel Drizzle.

More Sweet Treats!

21. Amazingly, Juliane’s Pear Tartettes with Dark Chocolate, Caramel & Vanilla Bean Ice Cream over at Sytle Nectar are both raw AND vegan!

22. Laura at How to Cook Food again came up with more festive treats in the form of Stollen Biscuit Bites.

23. Francesca at Kitchen in the Sand was very busy making Christmas gifts by way of her own homemade Chocolate and Hazelnut Spread.

24. Once again, Juliane at Style Nectar outdid herself with this Italian Spumoni Christmas Gateau. How can something raw and vegan look that good?!

25. Sarah at Tales from the Kitchen Shed came back to us again with some really pretty looking Christmas Shortbread Biscuits.

26. And to wrap up December’s Simple and in Season, Kate at The Gluten Free Alchemist send across her gluten-free Apple, Cinnamon and Mincemeat Cake  – truly scrumptious!

I did promise that there would be a winner, and that the winner would receive a book of their choice! So I chose Juliane’s Italian Spumoni Gateau for sheer creativity – it’s raw and vegan!!

Thank you so much for all of your thoughtful and creative entries for the final round of Simple and in Season 2014! Don’t forget to pop over and visit Sarah at Maison Cupcake for the current and brand new for 2015 linky! up.