January always feels like an invitation to slow things down a little. The decorations are packed away, evenings are still dark, and comfort food very much takes centre stage. So that is exactly what I’m covering in this month’s featured recipes. It’s all about warming, nourishing meals that make life easier — especially when they can be cooked once and enjoyed again.

If there was ever a time to lean into your Thermomix, this is it.

Making Veg the Hero This January

January is a great time to shine a light on vegetables — not as an afterthought, but as the main event. Luckily for us, Cookidoo is on hand to help, making it easy to get more veg into everyday cooking, and with thousands of vegetarian recipes available.

Stats tell us that only 1 in 5 adults get their 5 a day, and 1 in 3 children don’t eat a daily vegetable. 

Whether it’s soups, curries, pasta dishes or hidden-veg favourites, it’s easier than you might think to build meals around vegetables that are satisfying, warming and family-friendly.

Featured Recipes

If you’re like me, you might be slightly guilty of a teensy bit of over-indulgence with Christmas dinner and lots of Christmas socialising. Add cold weather into the mix, and I’ve picked out some healthy winter warmers, that you can batch cook too.

Soups take the first mention here! The Creamy Tomato Soup is one of my favourite soups, and if you add a swirl of Pesto, well… 👌🏻The Versatile Vegetable Soup is another great choice because it’s so, well, versatile. Use whatever veg you have to hand and whip up a batch. Make any soup more of a meal with a Bread Roll.

When you think of winter warmers, casseroles and stews probably come to mind, and so they should. They are usually easy to make and great options for batch cooking. Why not try the Chicken and Root Vegetable Stew or Sausage and Bacon Casserole. Not technically a stew, a Beef Stroganoff definitely fits the bill for a winter warmer I think.

Another great option – and there are loads of choices available on Cookidoo, Thermomix’s recipe platform – is a curry. Again, this is brilliant for batch cooking, and you can choose the level of spice to ‘warm’ you up. I like the Indian-spiced Roast Butternut and Chickpea Curry as a meat-free option, or a Lamb Dopiaza, served with Naan or Steamed Rice.

For more inspiration, browse the The Taste of India and Comforting Stew Collections.

As always, I love seeing what you’re cooking, so do share your favourites, tweaks and questions in the Facebook group. Here’s to warming bowls, well-stocked freezers and a calm start to the year.