Last week Taido read me a news article that stated that it’s rained in the UK every day in 2026. 

It was actually a relief to hear that out loud, because I have been wondering what was wrong with me and now I can blame the weather.

Then the sun came out on Saturday and there was a spontaneous city-wide celebration of the first time we’ve seen a fully blue sky in 2026. 

Everyone was outside. Parks were full, the city sidewalks were heaving as we all collectively emerged from our hibernation.

Of course, the rain was back on Sunday morning. But still, we know the sun is out there somewhere behind all those clouds and it will return again.

But right now, it’s a rare day that I don’t return from a walk drenched all the way to my toes.

My boots are permanently covered in a thick layer of thick, dark muck (that is the technical term) and the mud on the bottom ten inches of my trousers is there to stay.

Lately at home, I’ve been going through photos from sunnier days, trying to write about some of the places I’ve been in the last four years. Often I abandon the work because it just makes me want to climb aboard the next airplane bound for a beach cafe where I can feel the sun on my face.

So it’s no wonder I’ve been craving hearty warm casseroles for dinner at night.

I used to love shepherd’s pie and steak pies when we lived Scotland. But those were my pre-vegetarian days, so I tried this week to make a pie that feels similarly heavy, but is vegetarian. I was looking for some plant-based comfort food. And it was a success. 

This recipe, which I’ve only slightly altered, is going into the regular winter rotation. It comes from Sarah Bentley’s vegan cookbook, We Cook Plants.

It’s made with lentils and mushrooms, then topped with mashed potatoes and it’s the perfect one-dish meal for a wet day.

Vegan Shepherd’s Pie

Ingredients:

1.4 kilograms (around 4 pounds) gold potatoes, halved, or quartered if large
250g cabbage (half of a small head), chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, diced
2 carrots, finely chopped
1 celery stick, finely sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
250g sliced mushrooms (about a half pound)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon nutritional yeast, plus 1 tablespoon
1.2 liters low-salt vegetable stock (5cups)
320g dried brown or green lentils (1.5 – 2 cups)
2 teaspoons dried herbs de Provence
2 dried bay leaves
250 milliliters unsweetened oat milk (about 1 cup)
2 tablespoons sunflower seeds
5 walnuts
2 tablespoons hulled hemp seeds

Directions:

Put the potatoes in a large pan of water with a pinch of salt; bring to the boil. Simmer for 25 mins or until soft. Add the cabbage for the final 2-3 mins, then drain.

Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery and garlic and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the balsamic vinegar and cook for 5 minutes more, stirring regularly.

Stir in the mushrooms and cook for another 5 mins, then add the tomato purée. Heat the stock separately. Stir the 1 teaspoon nutritional yeast into the stock, then add to the vegetable mixture along with the lentils, herbs, bay leaves and a grind of black pepper. Cover and cook for 20 mins.

Drain the potatoes and cabbage, then return to the pan with the oat milk and remaining 2 tablespoons of oil. Mash well, then season to taste. Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan/gas 7/400°F

Check the lentils. If they look a bit dry, add 100-200 ml water and cook for 8 more mins. If a little thin, stir in 2 tablespoons of the mashed potatoes. Transfer to a baking dish; top with the mashed potatoes.

For the topping, chop the sunflower seeds and walnuts, add the remaining 1 tbsp nutritional yeast and a pinch of black pepper in a bowl and mix in the hemp seed. Sprinkle over the top.

Bake for 20 minutes or until golden. Let sit 10 minutes. Serve and enjoy.

Think of me if you make this recipe. I’ll probably be out walking in the rain and searching for snowdrops. 

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Here are all the reasons I have made this curry three times in the last two weeks:

1. The temperatures have finally dropped.
2. I bought 40 pounds of sweet potatoes from a farmer.
3. It’s a fulfilling vegetarian meal option!
4. All the colors make it so pretty.
5. Curry leftovers for lunch are my favorite.
6. Everyone in my family loves it except for one person.
7. If we keep eating it surely we will convert that one person to our collective Chino love for curry. Right? Ok maybe not.

Here’s the recipe so you can enjoy it too! XOXO

Cauliflower, Chickpea, Sweet Potato and Kale Curry

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, sliced
2 tablespoons curry powder
2 tablespoons curry paste
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons freshly minced ginger
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 sweet potatoes, chopped into 1 inch pieces
1 head of cauliflower, broken into florets
2 cans crushed tomatoes
2 cups vegetable stock
1 can chickpeas (including liquid)
1 bunch kale, leaves torn from the stems
salt + pepper
Optional toppings: cilantro, chutney, lime pickle

Directions:

Heat the oil in a heavy + large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onions and cook slowly, lowering heat if necessary. Cook until very soft, 5-10 minutes. Add the curry powder, curry paste and cayenne, stirring often, for 1 more minute. Add the garlic and ginger. Stir and cook for 2 more minutes.

Add the potatoes and cauliflower to the pot and stir. Season with lots of salt and pepper. Add the crushed tomatoes and vegetable stock. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat on the stove to a simmer. Cook until the potatoes are just-tender, about 40 minutes. Add the chickpeas and kale. Cook just until the greens have become soft.

Serve hot with rice and toppings. Enjoy!

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For several years I have used the same chili recipe that I hunted down from a friend after we had it at an event at church.  I have made several alterations to it so now my recipe is scribbled on quite a bit, plus it is drizzled with red spots.  I added garlic (of course) and peppers, as well as different kinds of beans.  Also, sometimes I add corn.

Chino House Chili

2-3 pounds ground beef (or vegetarian mince)

2 onions, chopped

1 green pepper, chopped

2-4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

2 cans stewed tomatoes

1 can tomato sauce

4 tablespoons chili powder

2 teaspoons cumin

1 teaspoon coriander

4 cups beef broth (or vegetable broth if making vegetarian)

1 can pinto beans

1 can black beans

12 ounces frozen corn (optional)

salt and pepper to taste

Brown the meat with the onions, peppers and garlic in the bottom of a large Dutch oven or a heavy bottomed stockpot.

When the meat is done, drain off the fat.

(Note: I use really lean meat, often deer meat instead of ground beef, so there isn’t much fat to drain. Or if you are using frozen vegetarian mince then you are just heating it up and it doesn’t need to cook as long.)

Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, broth and spices to meat.  Bring to a boil and then turn down to simmer on low for 1-2 hours. Add beans and corn (if using) for the last 20-30 minutes. (This step can also take place in a crockpot on low for the whole day.)

Serve hot with any number of toppings or sides.

Optional choices for serving: rice, baked potatoes, cornbread, corn chips, chopped onions, cheese, sour cream or chunks of avocado.

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Whitney asked me for my recipe for enchiladas yesterday, so I’m sharing here for all.

Enchiladas are such a great meal for a crowd.  You can make them the day before, which gives you more time to do other things on the day of an event, like scouring the floor for the tiny legos that get stuck between your toes.

When I’m making them for a lot of people, frequently I will do a batch of flour tortillas with a cream sauce and a batch of corn tortillas with red sauce.  I vary them up, making some with chicken and some with cheese and black beans. I get out every rectangular baking dish I have and try to fill them all up with these yummy pockets of goodness.

I try to make a couple of extra pans to throw in the freezer for a busy night or to take to a friend.  So double or triple these recipes as needed!

In the words of Ina‘s latest and greatest cookbook, how easy is that?

Enchiladas with Red Sauce

Ingredients:

12 corn tortillas

1 can black beans

2-3 cups shredded cheese (I like sharp cheddar, but you can use a Mexican blend if you prefer that)

1 small can chopped green chilies, optional

cilantro

salt and pepper

Sauce Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons chili powder

2 teaspoons cumin

2 tablespoons sugar

1 cup water

1 can (16oz) tomato sauce

juice from two limes

Heat oil in a skillet (I use cast iron).  Add onion and garlic.  Stir for two minutes, then add salt, chili powder, cumin and sugar.  Cook for another minute.  Then add water, tomato sauce and lime juice.   Bring to a simmer and cook 5-10 more minutes.  Salt and pepper to taste.

Combine half of the sauce with black beans (can also use chicken here), 2 cups cheese, green chilies, cilantro to taste.

Lightly oil your baking pan.  Fill each tortilla with enchilada mix.  Roll and place them tightly next to one another, seam side down in the pan.

Pour the rest of the sauce over the top of the tortillas and spread the remaining cheese on top of the sauce.

Cover with foil and bake 20-25 minutes at 375.  Remove foil and bake 5 more minutes.

(If frozen, allow 70-80 minutes for cooking.)

Serve with salsa, guacamole and fresh cilantro.

Enchiladas with White Sauce

2-3 cups cooked chicken

3 cups shredded cheese (I use sharp cheddar)

1 can Rotel

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 cup sour cream

12 flour tortillas (I use whole wheat)

Mix chicken with the can of Rotel and 2 cups of cheese.

Fill tortillas with this mixture and press tightly next to each other in a baking dish.

Mix cream of chicken soup and sour cream together.  Spread this mixture over the tortillas.

Spread remaining cheese on top.

Cover with foil and bake 20-25 minutes at 375.  Remove foil and bake 5 more minutes.

(If frozen, allow 70-80 minutes for cooking.)

Serve with salsa, guacamole and fresh cilantro.

Notes and variations:

Sometimes I mix a cup of each of the sauces (this usually happens because I have odd amounts left that would make another pan together, but not on its own) and fill either kind of tortilla shell to end up with one pan that is more of a pink sauce than red or white.  I also sometimes add salsa on top of the white sauce enchiladas.  You can trade the chicken and the black beans, or add chicken to the red sauce enchiladas.  Add extra cans of green chilies if you like them more spicy.  You can be creative to use up whatever you happen to have left at the end of rolling tortillas.

Also, read here how you can make your own cream of chicken condensed soup if the regular canned version is a little scary to you.  I prefer the red sauce and corn tortillas, so I am usually staying away from actually consuming the cream of chicken soup.  I’m just feeding it to my friends and family.  I’m considerate like that.

Enjoy!

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