small pinch nutmeg or allspice (about 1/4 teaspoon)
salt & pepper, to taste
large handful of grated cheese (about 50g)
For the crumble topping:
100g wholemeal flour
200g oats
pinch sea salt (about 1/4 teaspoon)
110g unsalted butter, room temperature and cubed
handful of chopped nuts (pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts or almonds all work well)
handful of seeds (sunflower and pumpkin work really well)
a little more grated cheese to top, optional
Veg Portions / Serving:
2
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Recipe created for Veg Power by Claire Wright. Food photography by Claire Wright | addsomeveg.com
A creamy, cheesy, filling dinner packed with green vegetables, covered in a lighter-than-usual white sauce, and topped with a wholegrain crumble. Nutrient dense, rich, filling and balanced. Full of green vegetables you don’t even notice yourself eating!
Method:
Preheat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Steam the frozen vegetables in a steamer or microwave according to packet instructions. Drain the vegetables and squeeze any excess water out of the spinach. Pour the cooked vegetables and grated courgette into a large roasting or casserole dish and set aside.
Next, make the white sauce: Melt the butter in a large saucepan, whisk in the flour and allow to cook for a minute, then slowly drizzle in the milk, little by little, whisking constantly. Whisk in the stock, mustard, nutmeg or allspice and salt & pepper. Bring to the boil and allow to simmer for a few minutes, whisking constantly, until thick. Take off the heat and stir through the grated cheese, then pour the sauce into the dish with the green vegetables and mix well.
Finally, make the crumble: pour the flour, oats and salt into a food processor and pulse for 30 seconds or so. Add in the cubed butter and pulse for another 30 seconds until combined with the flour but still leaving little chunks. Top the creamy veg mixture with the crumble, then scatter over some chopped nuts and seeds, and a little extra grated cheese, if using. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the crumble topping is golden and the cheesy filling is bubbling up around it. Serve on its own or with a green salad or fresh chopped tomatoes drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and a pinch of salt.
Kids in the kitchen:
Get children to press the microwave and food processor buttons, ask them to grate the cheese and add it (carefully!) to the hot sauce, and let them scatter the nuts, seeds and cheese over the top of the crumble at the end.
Claire Wright
Communications Manager: After leaving Exeter University with a degree in English Literature, Claire worked in various fields ranging from youth work and charities to publishing, before starting up a food-focused website when her first child was born. After being asked to project manage the publication of Veg Power's Crowdfunder book, Claire came on board as a fully-fledged team member in 2018 to take on the role of Communications Manager, looking after Veg Power's website and social media platforms.
