Cook up winter warmers the whole family will enjoy with these tasty slow cooker recipes from Slimming World

SPINACH AND RICOTTA LASAGNE

Serves 6

Ready in 4 hours 20 minutes

700g passata

400g can chopped tomatoes 3 roasted red peppers in brine from a jar, drained and chopped

A small pack of fresh basil, shredded ½ tsp dried chilli flakes (optional) 300g fat-free natural cottage cheese 100g ricotta cheese

4 level tbsp freshly grated parmesan cheese

9 dried lasagne pasta sheets, each snapped into 4 pieces

2 medium courgettes, thinly sliced lengthways

100g baby leaf spinach, coarsely shredded

1 level tbsp cornflour

500g fat-free natural Greek yogurt 2 medium eggs, beaten

½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg Mixed salad, to serve

1. In a large bowl, mix the passata with the chopped tomatoes, peppers, basil, chilli (if using), and seasoning to taste.

2. In a smaller bowl, mix the cottage cheese with the ricotta, half the parmesan and a little seasoning. Spread about one-third of the tomato sauce mixture over the base of the slow cooker pot and cover with one-third of the lasagne sheets.

3. Spread over half of the cottage cheese mixture, then half of the sliced courgettes and half of the chopped spinach. Repeat the layers once more then cover with the remaining lasagne sheets and tomato sauce. Cover and cook on low for 3 hours.

4. Mix the cornflour and a little yogurt in a bowl to make a paste then mix in the rest of the yogurt, the eggs, nutmeg, remaining parmesan and a little seasoning to taste. Pour over the lasagne, cover again and cook for 1 hour.

5. If you want to brown the top of your lasagne, preheat the grill to high just before the end of the cooking time. Carefully lift out the slow cooker pot and put it under the grill for 5 minutes or until browned to your liking. Serve hot with the salad.

■ Don’t have a slow cooker? Build up the layers as above but in a shallow ovenproof dish. Top with the yogurt mixture and bake for 45 minutes or until cooked through in an oven preheated to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6.

All recipes taken from Slimming World’s collection. Join your local group to discover how you can lose weight while saying yes to the foods you love. To find your nearest group, visit slimmingworld.co.uk or slimmingworld.ie, or call 0344 8978000 or 01 656 9696

WINTER VEGETABLE STEW

Serves 4

Ready in 6 hours 15 minutes

350g prepared butternut squash, cut into bite-size chunks

350g carrots, cut into bite-size chunks 75g dried pearl barley 75g dried red lentils 6 garlic cloves, sliced 1 tbsp chopped fresh sage 300g celeriac, peeled and cut into bite-size chunks

350g waxy potatoes, cut into bite-size chunks 1l boiling vegetable stock 1 vegetable stock pot 2 celery sticks, sliced 1 large leek, sliced and chopped A handful of chopped fresh parsley, to serve

1. Put the squash and carrots in the slow cooker and sprinkle over the pearl barley, lentils, garlic and sage. Cover with the celeriac and scatter the potatoes on top. Season lightly and pour over the stock. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours.

2. Stir in the stock pot, celery and leek, cover again and cook