Warming Comfort Food for a Rainy Dreary Night. Extremely Filling & Just what’s needed on a night with weather more suited to Winter. A Hug in a Bowl! This is 5pp on the Filling & Healthy plan & 13pp if Propointing.

• 500g lean steak pieces
• 1 small butternut squash
• 1 red onion
• 1 small 225g can chickpeas 
• 1 tin plum tomatoes chopped
• 1 garlic clove
• 96g dried apricots
• 1 tbsp ras el hanout
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1/4 tsp allspice
• 1 tsp paprika
• Salt & pepper
• Cous cous
• 2 Vegetable stock cubes
• Pinch saffron
• 1 lemon, juice & zest

Mix together the spices; ras el hanout, cumin, cinnamon, coriander, allspice, paprika, salt & pepper. Toss the beef in the spicemix, cover & refrigerate until needed. Lightly fry the red onion & diced peeled butternut squash in sprayoil for about 5 mins until starting to brown, remove & place in a bowl. Fry the beef pieces for about 5 mins until sealed. Add back in the red onion & squash & add the tomatoes, chickpeas and 400ml of veg stock made with 1 of the stock cubes. Bring to the boil & reduce the heat to a simmer & continue to cook for 1 & 1/2 hours with a lid on. Add the halved apricots 1/2 hour before serving, check the consistency at this point if it’s too dry leave the lid off for the last 1/2 hour. Prepare enough Couscous for 4 x 200g cooked servings according to packet instructions using veg stock made with the 2nd stock cube & a pinch of saffron instead of water. Fluff up your cous cous with a fork & season with salt & pepper & the juice & zest of the lemon. Serve the stew with the cous cous & enjoy!