A storm outside. Something good in the cupboard.

We battened down the hatches at Meg’s Scottish Kitchen HQ this weekend.

The outdoor ovens have been brought inside for storage, the garden furniture has been put away until next summer, and anything likely to take flight has been secured. Torches and battery packs are charged, the log baskets are full, and there is plenty of kindling beside the fire.

There is something reassuring about these small preparations. Although, looking at everything we had tucked away, I did wonder whether we were preparing for a storm or putting the entire garden into hibernation.

This morning brought the unsurprising discovery that our broadband was down. Thankfully, we still had power.

Meanwhile, the village WhatsApp group was doing what it does so well: sharing information and looking out for people. Updates about fallen trees and blocked roads appeared alongside offers of mobile hotspots for anyone needing to get online, and advice about whom to contact for help.

The broadband might have stopped working, but the village certainly hadn’t.

A village is part of your emergency kit

Living in a rural Highland community makes you aware of how quickly everyday things can become complicated. A fallen tree can mean a missed delivery, a cancelled journey or a road that simply cannot be used.

On Thursday evening, Simon joined other members of the community to discuss a resilience plan: making sure the generator is ready for the Social Club to serve as a community hub, identifying people with the skills and equipment to clear fallen trees safely, checking on neighbours, and planning how the kitchen could provide hot drinks and food.

There are plenty of practical details to work through. But at the heart of it is a very simple question:

Who might need a hand, and how can we help?

Sometimes that help is a generator or specialist equipment. Sometimes it is sharing an internet connection, passing on an important update to someone who isn’t online, or asking whether a neighbour has everything they need.

And sometimes, when it is safe to pop round, it might be a bowl of something warm.

A little preparation, a little peace of mind

This weekend’s weather has certainly focused my mind on being prepared.

Perhaps my Irish roots make me biased, but I particularly like the practical approach of Ireland’s Be Emergency Ready booklet, with its household planning advice, useful checklists and emphasis on staying connected. This booklet was delivered to every household in Ireland, so my ninety three year old mum can read it. The UK’s Be Ready guidance is worth reading too but is only available online which I think is discriminatory.

You can find links to them along with the Scottish governments plan here:

• Ireland: Be Emergency Ready

• UK: Be Ready for Emergencies

• Scotland Be Ready 

My own kitchen reminder is wonderfully ordinary: keep a few useful tins and food you actually enjoy eating. Build supplies gradually, within your budget, and use and replace them as part of everyday cooking.

Include some food that needs no heating, too. The recipes below are for days when you have a safe, working hob; a storm cupboard needs to cover the days when you haven’t.

Two tins away from a proper supper

A tin of beans might not look particularly exciting on the shelf. Give it some tomatoes, a little spice and time in a saucepan, though, and supper begins to look rather promising.

This week’s recipes are built around resilience: affordable ingredients, very little chopping and generous bowls of food. Beans, chickpeas and lentils bring plant protein and substance, while a few cupboard seasonings make them meals to look forward to.

Both are vegan as written, and neither needs a special shopping trip.

Smoky Tomato, Butter Bean & Lentil Stew

Soft butter beans and lentils in a rich tomato sauce, with smoked paprika for warmth and a splash of vinegar to brighten everything at the end. A lovely supper to eat from a deep bowl, preferably within reach of the fire.

Serves: 4

Preparation: 5 minutes

Cooking: 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive or rapeseed oil

• 1 tsp garlic granules

• 2 tsp smoked paprika

• 1 tsp ground cumin

• 1 tsp dried thyme or mixed herbs

• 2 × 400g tins chopped tomatoes

• 2 × 400g tins butter beans, drained and rinsed

• 1 × 400g tin green or brown lentils, drained and rinsed

• 150ml water, plus a little extra if needed

• 1 tbsp tomato purée

• 1 tsp vegetable stock powder, or ½ stock cube, crumbled

• 1–2 tsp cider or red wine vinegar

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Warm the oil in a large saucepan over a low heat. Add the garlic granules, smoked paprika, cumin and herbs. Stir for about 20 seconds, then add the tomatoes before the spices catch.

2. Stir in the butter beans, lentils, water, tomato purée and stock.

3. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened. Add a splash more water if needed.

4. Mash a few beans against the side of the pan to give the sauce a lovely, creamy texture.

5. Add 1 tsp vinegar, taste, then adjust the seasoning and add the remaining vinegar if you like.

At the table: Serve with oatcakes or bread. A drizzle of olive oil or a swirl of pesto is a lovely finish.

Make it your own: Cannellini, haricot or kidney beans can replace the butter beans. Add a drained tin of carrots or sweetcorn for extra vegetables. If you have a fresh onion, soften it in the oil before adding the spices.

Meg’s tip: When a tomato sauce tastes a little flat, try a small splash of vinegar before reaching for more salt.

Coconut, Tomato & Chickpea Curry

A gently spiced curry with chickpeas and red lentils, softened with coconut milk. The lentils cook into the sauce, making it thick and comforting without much effort from the cook.

Serves: 4

Preparation: 5 minutes

Cooking: 25–30 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp rapeseed or vegetable oil

• 1 tsp garlic granules

• 1 tsp ground ginger

• 2 tsp mild or medium curry powder

• 1 × 400g tin chopped tomatoes

• 1 × 400ml tin coconut milk

• 2 × 400g tins chickpeas, drained and rinsed

• 100g dried split red lentils, rinsed

• 250ml water, plus extra as needed

• 2 tbsp raisins or sultanas, optional

• 1 tbsp fresh or bottled lemon juice, or to taste

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

• A pinch of dried chilli flakes, optional

Method

1. Warm the oil in a large saucepan over a low heat. Add the garlic, ginger and curry powder, stir briefly, then add the tomatoes.

2. Stir in the coconut milk, chickpeas, lentils and water. Add the raisins or sultanas, if using.

3. Bring to a gentle simmer, partially cover and cook for 25–30 minutes, stirring regularly so the lentils do not stick.

4. Add a little more water whenever the sauce becomes too thick. The curry is ready when the lentils are completely soft.

5. Stir in the lemon juice and season to taste. Add chilli flakes if you would like a little more warmth.

At the table: Serve with couscous, rice or flatbread, prepared according to the packet instructions. A spoonful of mango chutney is rather good alongside.

Make it your own: Swap one tin of chickpeas for butter beans. Tinned spinach, drained well, can be stirred in towards the end. Without coconut milk, use another tin of tomatoes and extra water as needed for a brighter tomato-based version.

Meg’s tip: Curry powders vary enormously. Start gently; you can always add more heat, but it is much harder to take it away.

Little things that make the cupboard work harder

• Cook from the cupboard before writing the shopping list. Put older tins at the front and plan a meal around them.

• Keep something bright. Bottled lemon juice, vinegar, chutney and pickles can lift a meal made largely from tins.

• Choose ingredients that do more than one job. Red lentils thicken soups, stretch stews and turn a simple tomato sauce into a more substantial supper.

• Make room for autumn vegetables. When you have them, carrots, squash, leeks and shredded cabbage are lovely additions to either recipe. Add firmer vegetables early enough to cook until tender.

• Remember the no-cook shelf. Ready-to-eat tinned pulses, suitable tinned fish, crackers, nut butter and dried fruit offer useful options if cooking is interrupted. Follow the labels and choose foods that suit your household.

One small piece of kitchen homework: open the cupboard and choose three things you could turn into supper. You may already be better prepared than you think.

Comfort Cooking with Meg’s Scottish Kitchen

Come and cook with me on Sunday 15 November

Sunday 15 November 2026 at 2pm

Dalavich Social Club

Join me for a free community cookery demonstration, with comforting recipes, practical kitchen tips and ideas to make everyday suppers easier.

I’ll be making seven dishes, including smoked mackerel pâté, sticky Moroccan chicken, winter root vegetable tagine and little raspberry and lemon curd trifles. Afterwards, you can taste all seven dishes and take the recipes home.

The event is hosted by Dalavich Community Centre and funded by The River Avich Open Source Community Benefit Fund.

For evenings when someone else can do the cooking

Our regular Heat & Eat meals are there for busy weeks and evenings when you would simply like supper taken care of. Browse the website when you have a quiet moment; during unsettled weather, please check with us before travelling for collection.

And if this week’s recipes have put you in the mood for more kitchen inspiration, you can explore my cookbooks on the website too. A useful recipe has a habit of becoming an old friend.

A rainbow over the loch

As I write, the wind is whipping Loch Awe into white horses, rain is lashing the windows, and a rainbow has appeared over the water.

If I am going to Coorie in for a few days, I could hardly ask for a more beautiful place. Simon and I have a warm home, Bella and Bracken are very willing to help with the snuggling, and we have neighbours who look out for one another without question.

There is a great deal to be grateful for.

Above all, stay safe and check in on neighbours, friends and family. A message or a phone call can mean a lot, especially to someone sitting out the weather alone.

And tell me: what is the tin you always keep in your cupboard, and what do you make with it? 

Reply here or join the conversation on my social pages. I would love to gather a few of your ideas to share.

If someone you know would enjoy these recipes, do pass this newsletter along. Good food—and useful ideas—are always worth sharing.

With love from a rather windswept Dalavich,

Meg x

Meg’s Scottish Kitchen

Where the seasons shape the table