Cookery corner: Oakwood's sweet potato, butternut squash, chickpea and green bean tagine

This tagine is a vegetarian dish that we serve with couscous and the children love it! It is a great meal for introducing children to new flavours and is easy to pack full of different vegetables.

It also contains broccoli and chickpeas, which are excellent sources of protein – essential for multiple functions, including building tissue, cells and muscle, fighting off disease, and keeping energy levels high.

Serves 6 children

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil

4 shallots, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

5 cm piece peeled fresh ginger root, minced

1 stalk celery, chopped

1 ½ tsp ground cumin

1 ½ tsp paprika

1 can crushed or diced tomatoes

1 large carrot, peeled and cut into chunks (1 cup)

150g green beans, ends trimmed (2 cups)

1 small butternut squash, peeled and cut into chunks (3 ½ cups)

2 sweet potatoes peeled and cut into chunks (3 ½ cups)

½ head broccoli, cut into florets (3 cups)

Vegetable stock or water

1 cup cooked or canned chickpeas (rinsed if canned)

3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Method

• Preheat oven to 350¿F/175¿C.
• Add shallots, garlic, ginger, cumin, paprika and celery to a pan and cook, stirring often, until shallots and celery begin to soften – after about five minutes.
• Stir in tomatoes, carrot, green beans, squash, sweet potato and broccoli. Add enough vegetable stock to cover vegetables.
• Cover and bake until vegetables are tender – after 40 to 45 minutes.
• About five minutes before the stew is done, stir in the chickpeas.
• Stir in parsley just before serving.
• Serve with couscous.