The season of sweet treats and overindulging is over and I, for one, am happy to welcome in the new year.
For many, the beginning of the year signifies a fresh start, and the motivation needed to re-establish healthy habits that extend well beyond January and last a lifetime.
For me, the road to a healthy lifestyle starts in the kitchen. That’s why I’ve chosen these two delicious and nutritious vegetarian recipes to give you a helping hand to start the year as you mean to go on - especially after all the ham and turkey over Christmas.
Read more: New year, new attitude to dieting - 10 ways to improve your diet in 2025
These recipes are proof that healthy eating doesn’t have to mean boring – far from it. Instead, a world of vibrant flavours awaits.
Check out our wide range of cookery classes at www.waterman.house or follow us on Instagram @waterman.house
Vegetable Cassoulet
(Serves 4-6)
Ingredients
· 1 cup dry beans (any white bean will do e.g. Cannellini beans, white cocoa beans)
· 1 carrot
· 1 medium onion
· 2 stalks celery
· 1 small parsnip
· 1/2 butternut squash
· 1 cup fresh tomato sauce (or substitute 2-3 fresh tomatoes, chopped)
· 3 cloves garlic
· 2 bay leaves
· 1/2 bunch fresh thyme
· A few sage leaves
· 1 sprig rosemary
· 1 cup cider
· Salt and pepper
For the roux
· 4 tablespoons butter
· 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
Method
· Soak the dried beans in a bowl overnight, covering at least 3 inches above with water. In the morning, drain and refresh with hot water.
· For the roux, using a large cassoulet pan on a low heat, melt the butter and add in the flour, stirring occasionally. This needs approximately 30 minutes cooking time until it is a chestnut brown colour.
· Preheat the oven to 180C.
· Once your roux is complete, finely dice the vegetables and add the carrots, parsnip, onion and celery to the pot, keeping on a low heat. Season with salt and pepper and stir occasionally.
· If the pot starts to dry, add in a tablespoon of butter.
· Cook until all the vegetables have reduced in size and released most of their juices. Then, add the garlic and the cider. Next, add the squash, bay leaves, tomato sauce, generous pinches of salt and pepper and the drained beans.
· Place a lid on the pot and transfer to the preheated oven for two hours. Remove lid and check the beans for tenderness. If the beans are not soft enough and the mixture is becoming too dry, add a little more tomato sauce or vegetable stock and cover again.
· Leave to cool for a few minutes before serving with fresh bread.
Read more: Celebrated chef Niall McKenna in honours nod
Wild Mushroom Risotto
Ingredients
· 50g dried porcini
· 2 shallots
· 250g mushrooms (mixed)
· 350g Arborio rice
· 1.5 litres vegetable stock
· 1 glass white wine
· 90g Parmesan
· 50g butter
· Olive oil
· Salt and pepper
Read more: Watch Niall McKenna make it easy: How to make a tasty veg-packed curry
Method
· Firstly, remove any grit from the dried porcini and soak in 500ml hot water for 20 minutes. Once softened, remove from water and add this water to the stock, keeping the stock on a gentle heat on the hob.
· For this recipe, I am using vegetable stock to ensure the dish is suitable for vegetarians, however, chicken stock can be used.
· Next, finely chop the shallots and heat three tablespoons of olive oil in a pan, add the shallots and sweat down until transparent and soft.
· Add in all the mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes. Then, add in all the rice and cook for a further 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
· Next, add in the glass of wine until it has evaporated, then start to pour in the stock two ladles at a time and keep stirring. Once all the stock has been ladled and the rice is soft but with a bite to it, stir in the butter and Parmesan and cover for up to five minutes.
· To serve, drizzle with some truffle oil or extra virgin olive oil.
