Slow cooker sweet potato and root vegetable hotpot

Ingredients

• 2 medium onions
• 1 tbsp oil
• 3–4 medium sweet potatoes (about 800g)
• 3 medium carrots (about 300g)
• 2 medium parsnips (about 250g)
• 3 tbsp plain flour (25g)
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 2 tsp dried mixed herbs
• 400ml hot vegetable stock (made with 1 vegetable stock cube)
• 400g can butterbeans
• 400g can chopped tomatoes
• 1/2 tsp dried chilli flakes (optional)
• Flaked sea salt
• Ground black pepper
• Fresh flat-leaf parsley, to serve (optional)
• Fresh basil pesto, to serve (optional)

Method

A really fab vegetable dish that’s full of flavour and very filling. It’s also relatively low in calories but high in fibre due to all the lovely vegetables and beans. Serve as a one-pot meal with a spoonful of fresh basil pesto, or as a vegetable accompaniment to some grilled meat or fish. You can even whizz up any leftovers to make a delicious soup.

Peel and thinly slice the onions. Pour the oil into a large non-stick frying pan and fry the onions over a medium-high heat for 5 minutes, or until softened and lightly browned, stirring occasionally.

While the onions are cooking, peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into roughly 3cm chunks. Peel the carrots and parsnips and cut into roughly 3cm chunks. Put the onions and other vegetables into the slow cooker, add the flour and season with a little salt and plenty of pepper. Toss well together.

Mix the tomato purée and herbs with the hot vegetable stock and pour over the vegetables. Rinse the butterbeans in a sieve under cold running water, and drain. Add the beans, canned tomatoes and chilli, if using, to the slow cooker and stir well. 

Cover with the lid and cook on HIGH for 4–5 hours or LOW for 6–8 hours, or until all the vegetables are tender and the sauce is thick. Remove the slow cooker lid and scatter with freshly chopped parsley and add a spoonful of pesto, if using, just before serving.

398 calories per serving.

Freezing tips

Freeze the cooked and cooled hotpot in labelled zip-seal bags or freezer-proof containers for up to 4 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in the microwave or a large saucepan over a medium heat, stirring occasionally, until piping hot.

Extract from Slow Cooker Without the Calories by Justine Pattison, Orion, £14.99.