AUTUMN is well and truly here so we start thinking of warming foods.

Soup comes to mind as well as casseroles.

One pot meals save a great deal of time and effort, and a lot less dishes.

Don't forget the slow cooker as it is always a great way to cook and save time; just put it on and forget.

Be creative add and remove ingredients if they are not to your liking.

If you like mushrooms and don't like eggplant, swap similar ingredients as both are high in moisture and visa versa, and the recipe should stay the same.

Herbs and spices are a great way to jazz up a one pot meal.

If you have few in store like mixed herbs, thyme, sage, rosemary, dried chilli, cumin, ground coriander seed, curry powder, you can enhance the flavour of a basic meal and make it special with very little effort.

Don't forget to taste and season.

It is good to look in the cupboard and get ideas from what you already have instead of going out and buy more ingredients.

Writing a list of what is in your cupboard is also a great way to save money.

We tend to forget and go and buy the same thing, then get home and go 'oops, I already have three bags of carrots'.

When that happens, you can always make carrot soup.

Seriously, if you have a list of what's in your cupboard and pantry you will be less likely to double up.

Think before you shop and be creative.