SERVES: 4
Ingredients:
6 reduced fat pork sausages (substitute with chicken, or vegetarian sausages, as desired)
1 onion, diced
250g chopped butternut squash and sweet potato
1 tins chopped tomato
1/2 tin black beans
1/2 reduced salt stock cube
1 tsp sweet smoked paprika
1 tsp wholegrain mustard
100ml white wine or water
1 Tbsp olive oil
For the scone topping (optional)
250g self-raising flour
1 egg
1 Tbsp olive oil
50g reduced fat grated cheese
150ml milk
A little extra cheese for sprinkling.
Recipe Summary
This casserole is great for bonfire night; the sausages, pumpkin and ‘spooky’ black beans make it very fitting for fireworks. It’s also quick to bake and can be made in advance. If making scones feels like a step too far on a bad day, then simply serve this with baked potatoes or brown rice.
To keep things a little healthier, look for sausages that are lower in saturated fat and salt. Vegetarian sausages also work really well but I recommend adding them in later as they can disintegrate if overcooked.
Method:
Preheat the oven to 180C. Heat the olive oil in a large casserole dish, add the onion, and cook over a gentle heat, stirring occasionally until softened and translucent. Add the sausages and turn up the heat, cook for 5-10’ turning occasionally, to brown them.
Add the paprika, mustard and a crumbled stock cube, the wine if using – or water – and give everything a stir. Tip in the tomatoes, beans and chopped sweet potato and squash, bringing to a simmer, then cover and place in the oven to cook for 30’.
For the scones, beat together egg and milk, setting a Tbsp of this to one side. In a bowl, stir together flour and grated cheese, then add the milk and egg mixture, bringing the dough together until just combined. Pat the dough out on a floured board to about the thickness of two pound coins, then use a cutter to punch out 12 small rounds. Brush these rounds with the egg mix you reserved, and sprinkle with a little extra cheese.
Remove the casserole from the oven, uncover and place the scones on top. Return for 20’, or until the scones are golden and risen.
Nutrition (per serving with scone): 533 kcal; 13.2g fat, of which 10.9g saturates; 65.2 g carbohydrate, of which 10.2g sugars; 10g fibre; 33.4g protein.