Packed full of nutrients to lift your spirits, this colourful vegan dish from The Medicinal Chef, Dale Pinnock, fuels the body and soothes the mind
‘I know this sounds a bit hippyish, but it really is a very moreish dish; even the most hardcore vegetable dodgers seem to warm to this one, which is magnesium and B vitamin-packed.’
Serves 2
570g mixed green vegetables (leeks, peas, courgettes and cabbage work well)
42g garlic butter
Leaves from a small bunch of parsley, roughly chopped
Leaves from a few sprigs of mint, chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Porridge oats (no need to weigh, you’ll see why)
3-4 tsp finely grated parmesan cheese
Method
1 Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/gas mark 5.
2 Sauté the green vegetables in the garlic butter for eight to 10 minutes, until all the vegetables begin to soften. Stir in the herbs and season with a little salt and pepper. Transfer the greens to a baking dish.
3 Now it’s time to add the oats. The reason I don’t bother with weight here is that there is so much variation in baking dish size; being too rigid with weight can lead to an oat layer that is way too thick or too thin. So, sprinkle enough oats over the top to give you a topping about 5mm thick. Sprinkle over the parmesan and season with a little salt and pepper.
4 Bake at the top of the oven for about 15 minutes, or until the crumble is golden and crunchy.
5 Serve with a side salad.
For more mood-boosting meals, check out Anxiety & Depression: Eat Your Way to Better Health by Dale Pinnock (Quadrille, £14.99). Photography by Martin Poole.