Autumn ideas from The Co-operative (Good with Food) Magazine

Baked corn with chilli and lime: Preheat the oven to 200C. Mix 30g butter, zest of a lime, 1 chopped red chilli and a handful of chopped coriander.  Place four corn cobs on foil sheets on a baking tray and dot with the butter. Close up foil and cook for 30 minutes. (or, if some of these ingredients are not to hand, cook the cobs just with the butter). Serves 4: 130 calories.

Sweet roasted butternut squash: Preheat oven to 300C. Cut one butternut squash into chunks (skin on), discarding seeds. Put on roasting tin, skindown, drizzle with 2 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp maple syrup, 1/2 tsp cinnamon. Roast for one hour, basting occasionally. Serves 6: 90 calories.

Easy cheesy muffin scones
7 sundried tomatoes (45g) or cherry tomatoes
250g SR flour
80g lighter mature cheese, grated
Handful fresh chopped herbs (optional)
200ml low fat yoghurt
1 large egg
3tbsp olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 190C and lightly grease a 12 hole muffin tin.
2. Cut tomatoes into small pieces
3. Put flour into a bowl, add tomatoes, cheese and herbs.
4. Put yoghurt into a jug, add the egg and oil and stir.
5. Add this to the flour mix and blend lightly
6. Spoon into the muffin tins and bake for 20-25 minutes or until light golden
7. Makes 12: 170 calories each.

Spiced loaf with fresh pear

50g baking margarine

50g vegetable oil

85g light brown sugar

85g black treacle

2 eggs

170g plain flour

1 tsp ground cinnamon

2 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp bicarb

140ml milk, warmed

To serve: fresh ripe pear

1. Preheat oven to 140C. 
2. Grease 900g loaf tin and line the base with greaseproof paper
3. Heat margarine, oil, sugar and treacle gently until melted
4. Cool slightly and stir in eggs, flour, cinnamon and ginger.
5. Add bicarb to warmed milk and pour this over the mixture and stir well.
6. Pour mixture into tin and bake for 50 - 55 minutes.
7. The top of the loaf should have a slight crust .
8. Ideal for picnics
9. Serves 12, 185 calories a slice

Home-made baked beans

1 celery stick, finely chopped

2 carrots, julienne

1 tbsp olive oil

2 onions, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, crushed

Pinch chilli powder (optional - why is it that chilli is put into everything these days?)

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp mustard

400 tin cannellini beans, rinsed

400 tin haricot beans, rinsed

2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes

1 tbsp treacle or light soft brown sugar

1. In pan cook onions, celery and carrots in the oil until soft.
2. Add garlic, chilli powder, paprika and mustard and cook for 10 minutes.
3. Add beans, tomatoes and treacle/sugar, stir and simmer gently for another 20 minutes.
4. Serves 8: 110 calories.

to be continued . ...