Root vegetables are ideal for winter stews and will still be in plentiful supply in February, so add parsnips, onions, carrots and garlic to your shopping list to make a delicious bean and root vegetable stew. Look out too for celeriac, kale, kohlrabi and swedes.
NUTRITIONAL VALUE
Root vegetables contain a wide variety of vitamins and minerals, including manganese, potassium and magnesium. Onions, parsnips and garlic are all rich in vitamin C, while carrots are a great source of vitamins A and K.
RECIPE
Mixed bean and root vegetable stew
Serves: 5
Typical portion size for 1-4 years: 130g
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 45 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 small onion (peeled)
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 small parsnip (peeled)
- 1 medium carrot (peeled)
- 2-3 sprigs fresh basil
- 1 tsp vegetable oil
- ½ tbsp tomato purée
- 100g canned chopped tomatoes
- 100g canned kidney beans (drained) – make sure all the beans have no added salt or sugar
- 100g canned haricot beans (drained)
- 100g canned butter beans (drained)
- 100ml water
Method
- Dice the onion, garlic and chop the parsnip and carrot into 2cm cubes. Roughly chop the basil.
- Heat the oil in a large pan, add the onion and garlic, cook for five minutes until the onion softens.
- Add the parsnips, carrot, tomato purée, canned tomatoes, beans and water, bring to the boil and leave to simmer for 30-40 minutes until the vegetables are soft. Stir through the basil before serving.
Serving suggestion
Serve with apricot and herb couscous.
Recipe adapted from: Early Years Catering at Illminster Avenue, Children’s Food Trust