October is finally here and with it, we can officially announce the start of the spooky season. In case you are looking for some exciting tips on what to do with those leftovers from trick or treating and how to cook a delicious autumn soup, here it comes...
Meanwhile, if you still haven’t decided where to spend your Halloween, here at South Winchester Lodges we would love to take care of your perfect October escape.
October is the month of candy and sweet treats! We know you will probably get a lot of leftovers from Halloween. We can suggest four ways you can utilise them without eating them all at once and having to go straight to the dentist!
- Pack small quantities in your lunchbox
- Bake them into cookies (we know from experience those M&M cookies taste amazing 😋)
- Indulge yourself with a treat and stir your favourite sweeties into your low-calorie ice cream 😊
- Mix some leftover chocolate with your granola, while having some extra chopped almonds or other nuts you like
Since we've woken up the cook in you, here come our favourite autumn, healthy recipes:
Butternut squash soup
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What you will need: |
How to prepare: |
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1 butternut squash 2 garlic cloves 2-3 carrots 250ml milk 700ml water 200ml double/single cream 1 pack of cooked chestnuts (200gr) Olive oil Salt Pepper Thyme
For serving: Crusty bread |
1. Cut the onion and the garlic and fry in a pan with a bit of olive oil. 2. Put the pre-cut butternut squash together with the carrots and add up the water and the milk. 3. Bring to boil and let it cook for 12-15 minutes. 4. Take off from the heat and season well with salt, pepper, and thyme. 5. Add the cream and the pack of cooked chestnuts. 6. Blend everything together to make it a creamy, smooth soup. 7. Sprinkle with shaved parmesan cheese and serve with crusty bread |
Creamy Pesto Pasta with Spinach and Ricotta
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What you will need: |
How to prepare:
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1 pack of fusilli pasta 2 cups of cut spinach 3 garlic cloves 1 tin of mushy peas 7 tablespoons of pesto 1 pack of Ricotta cheese 1 vegetable stock 200ml water Salt Pepper
For serving: Sprinkle with pine nuts and add fresh basil leaves |
1. Boil the pasta until ready 2. In a pan heat the olive oil and fry the cut garlic together with the spinach. 3. Season with some salt and pepper. 4. Add the vegetable stock dissolved in 200ml hot water. 5. Add the tin of mushy peas together with the pesto and the ricotta cheese. 6. Leave to cook slowly for 5-6 minutes while occasionally stirring. 7. Once the sauce is ready, drain the pasta from the boiling water and mix the sauce well together with the pasta. 8. Sprinkle with pine nuts and add fresh basil leaves when serving. |
The Winchester Market runs every Friday and Saturday where you can find a great variety of fresh products, a perfect place to purchase high quality ingredients in case you decide to cook while staying in one of our cosy lodges.
Otherwise, you can explore the local restaurants and enjoy your meal outside of your lodge.
And… for those of us who want to relax from everything, you can order a takeaway straight to your lodge door!
Here at South Winchester Lodges, we would love to take care of your perfect fall staycation, while you take some rest and enjoy your time away while exploring the local walking trails, history, activities, and delicious food.
Book your cosy autumn holiday with us, and enjoy the start of the new season! 🍂🍁
Photo by Edgar Castrejon on Unsplash