Veg-packed lasagne

Everyone loves a triple-cheese and beef ragu lasagne but if you want to enjoy that classic comfort dish without needing a nap after, go for a veg-packed version. This one doesn’t skimp on all the warming flavours but is lower in calories and contains less saturated fat. It’s also vegan, which is great for anyone participating in Veganuary. If you’re not vegan, you can use milk and a scant grating of parmesan or vegetarian Italian-style hard cheese, if you prefer.

1 HOUR 30 MINUTES | SERVES 6 | EASY | LC

olive oil 2 tbsp

onions 2 large

carrots 2, finely chopped

fennel 1 bulb, chopped

celery 2 sticks, finely chopped

chestnut mushrooms 250g, finely chopped

garlic 2 cloves, crushed

red wine 200ml

tomato purée 3 tbsp

soy sauce 1 tbsp

rosemary 2 sprigs

bay leaves 2 brown or green lentils 250g, rinsed

vegetable stock 800ml

courgette 1, trimmed and sliced

squash Ω (the longer, thinner half), peeled and thinly sliced

vegan lasagne sheets 8-10, fresh or dried (boil briefly and drain well if using dried)

WHITE SAUCE

olive oil 2 tbsp

plain flour 50g

unsweetened plant milk 500ml english mustard 2 tsp

nutmeg a grating

1 Heat 1Ω tbsp of the oil in a deep frying pan or casserole over a medium heat, and fry the onions, carrots, fennel and celery with a pinch of salt for 10-15 minutes or until softened.

2 Add the mushrooms and garlic, and fry for another 10 minutes until tender, then stir in the wine. Bubble until reduced by half, then stir in the tomato purée and soy sauce.

3 Add the herbs, lentils and stock, bring to a bubble and simmer, half covered, for 35-40 minutes or until the lentils are tender and the sauce has thickened. Season well and remove from the heat.

4 Heat the oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. Toss the courgette and squash with the remaining oil, and season. Transfer to a roasting tin in a single layer and roast for 15-20 minutes or until tender.

5 Meanwhile, to make the sauce, heat the oil in a pan and sprinkle in the flour. Stir to make a paste, then gradually add the milk, a splash at a time, until it’s all been incorporated. Cook for

2-3 minutes more until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Stir in the mustard and nutmeg.

6 Reduce the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Spoon a third of the ragu into a baking dish. Add the roasted squash in a single layer, then spoon over a third of the white sauce, spreading it to the edges. Top with another third of the ragu, then half the lasagne sheets, trimming them to fit into the dish. Spoon over another third of the white sauce, then top with the courgette slices, the remaining ragu and lasagne sheets. Finish with the rest of the white sauce. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden and bubbling.

PER SERVING 431 kcals | fat 11.2G saturates 1.6G | carbs 50.4G | sugars 14.8G fibre 12.6G | protein 19.6G | salt 1.1G

Typically laden with butter and cheese, risotto is well known for its comforting and indulgent traits, but here we’ve cut a few calorie corners to make it a bit more January-friendly.

45 MINUTES + SOAKING | SERVES 4!6 | EASY | LC

dried porcini mushrooms 20g

olive oil 1Ω tbsp

onion 1 large, finely chopped

celery 2 sticks, finely chopped

chestnut mushrooms 150g, sliced

garlic 3 cloves, crushed

risotto rice 300g

vegan white wine 125ml

hot vegetable stock 200-400ml

lemon Ω small, zested

parsley a small bunch, finely chopped

truffle paste 1-2 tbsp, depending on strength

PICKLED MUSHROOMS

cider vinegar 75ml

caster sugar 50g

mixed wild mushrooms 50g, torn into bite-sized pieces

TRUFFLED MUSHROOMS

mixed wild mushrooms 100g, torn into bite-sized pieces

chives finely snipped to make 1 tbsp, plus extra to serve

truffle oil 1 tbsp, plus extra to serve

1 Put the dried porcini in heatproof bowl and pour over 600ml of just-boiled water. Leave to soak. To make the pickled mushrooms, put the vinegar, 75ml of water, the sugar and a pinch of salt in a small pan. Heat until the sugar dissolves, then remove from the heat to cool slightly. Put the mushrooms in a heatproof bowl, pour over the pickling liquid, and leave while you make the risotto.

2 Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a deep frying pan over a medium heat and fry the onion and celery for 10 minutes until softened but not golden. Add the chestnut mushrooms and turn up the heat slightly. Fry, stirring frequently, for another 8-10 minutes or until the mushrooms have released their liquid and they’re starting to turn golden.

3 Strain the porcini into a jug, discarding the last few tablespoons of the stock. Stir the garlic and rice into the pan with the veg mixture, coating the rice in the oil, and cook for 1-2 minutes or until the garlic is fragrant. Add the wine and bubble for a minute, then add the porcini mushroom stock, a splash at a time, stirring continuously and waiting for each addition to be absorbed before adding more. When all the mushroom stock has been added, add the vegetable stock using the same method. After about 15-20 minutes, check the rice to make sure it’s tender. Add a splash more stock or water if you need to continue cooking for a few minutes. When the rice is just tender, stir in the rehydrated porcini, the lemon zest, parsley and truffle paste. Cover, remove from the heat and leave for 5 minutes.

4 For the truffled mushrooms, heat the remaining olive oil in a frying pan over a high heat, and fry the mushrooms until lightly golden and slightly softened. Season with salt, then remove from the heat and stir in the chives and truffle oil.

5 Gently stir the truffled mushrooms into the risotto, then drain the pickled mushrooms and spoon these over the top. Drizzle with some more truffle oil and sprinkle with some chives to serve.

PER SERVING !6" 288 kcals | fat 6.3G saturates 0.9G | carbs 45.9G | sugars 6.2G fibre 2.8G | protein 7.2G | salt 0.2G