A Very Veggie Christmas

Looking to serve a meat-free choice this festive season? These delicious plant-powered options are sure to delight

Sloe gin-marinated beetroot Wellington with carrot crisps

This stunning veg Wellington has an irresistible filling of whole beetroot encased in aherby root veg mash

SERVES 8 | READY IN 1HR 15MINS, PLUS MARINATING AND COOLING | PRICE PER SERVING £1.19

TOP TIP: Only need to feed two? Make a smaller Wellington by halving the ingredients –just remember to allow slightly less cooking time

● 200ml Gordon’s Sloe Gin (orcranberry juice)

● 1tbsp red wine vinegar

● 2bay leaves

● ½tsp black peppercorns

● 1 sprig rosemary, plus 1tbsp chopped rosemary leaves for the vegfilling

● 2 x 300g packs Asda British Cooked Beetroot

● 1tbsp unsalted butter

● 500g pack Asda frozen Carrot &Swede Mash

● 1tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley, plus extra to serve

● 375g pack Asda Ready Rolled Puff Pastry

● 1 medium egg, beaten

● 1tbsp Dijon mustard

● 1tsp fennel seeds

● 2 medium carrots, peeled

● 1tbsp rapeseed oil

● 1tbsp maple syrup

1) For the beetroot, put the sloe gin (or cranberry juice, if using), red wine vinegar, bay leaves, peppercorns and sprig of rosemary with 100ml water in a small pan. Bring to a simmer.

2) Take off the heat and add the beetroot. Cover, set aside and leave to marinate for at least 2hrs, turning regularly if not covered by the liquid.

3) For the Wellington, melt the butter in a large nonstick frying pan. Add the frozen carrot and swede mash and the chopped rosemary; season with black pepper. Cook over a low heat, stirring, for 8-10 mins until thawed and quite dry. Stir in the chopped parsley and leave to cool.

4) Preheat the oven to 200C/ 180C Fan/Gas 6. Line alarge baking tray with baking paper.

5) Unroll the pastry with the longer edge facing towards you, and brush with beaten egg, leaving a 2cm border all around the edge. Spread the mustard over the egg and top with the mash, leaving the border uncovered.

6) Remove the beetroot from its liquid and pat dry with kitchen paper. Arrange in a horizontal row in the centre of the mash filling. Using the paper from the pastry, lift one of the long sides over to cover the beetroot. Fold the other side over and use a fork to seal the pastry. Fold the short ends over, tucking the corners in.

7) Use the paper to help flip the Wellington onto the tray, seam-side down. Score across the pastry lightly, then glaze with the egg. Sprinkle with ½tsp fennel seeds and a grind of black pepper. Bake for 30-35 mins until golden.

8) Meanwhile, for the carrot crisps, spiralize the carrots or shave using a veg peeler. Toss with the oil, maple syrup and the other ½tsp fennel seeds. Season with pepper and spread out on a tray lined with baking paper. Bake for 15-20 mins until starting to crisp. Leave on the tray to cool and crisp up. 9 Leave the cooked Wellington to cool for 10mins, then top with the carrot curls and extra parsley to serve.

Moroccan-inspired chickpea & apricot vegan filo pie

Crispy layers of filo pastry envelop a deep, spicy vegetable and seasonal dried fruit filling

SERVES 6 | READY IN 1HR, PLUS COOLING | PRICE PER SERVING 73p

● 1tbsp rapeseed oil, plus extra for greasing

● 2 red onions, cut into wedges

● 250g parsnips, peeled and cut into short spears

● 3clovesgarlic, crushed

● 1tbsp Asda Moroccan Seasoning

● 3 peppers (mixed colours), chopped into 2cm pieces

● 400g tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed

● 75g dried apricots, chopped

● 30g dried cranberries

● 2tbsp chopped coriander

● 200g pack Asda Ready Rolled Filo Pastry

● Spray oil

● 15g flaked almonds

● ½tsp cumin seeds

● Steamed veg, to serve

1) Preheat the oven to 200C/ 180C Fan/Gas 6. Grease a deep 25cm springform tin with oil.

2) Heat the oil in a large frying pan and cook the onion on high for 2mins. Reduce the heat to medium, add the parsnips and cook for 5mins until tender.

3) Add the garlic and Moroccan seasoning; season with black pepper. Add the peppers, chickpeas and apricots; cook for 5-7 mins until the peppers are tender.Stir in the cranberries and coriander; set aside to cool.

4) Layer the filo in the tin, spraying each of the sheets with oil as you go. Arrange at different angles, so there’s pastry overhanging all around the edge of the tin. There should be enough to go around the tin in 2 layers. Reserve 2 or 3 sheets.

5) Spoon in the veg mixture then fold over the overhanging pastry, scrunching for texture. Fill any gaps in the top with scrunched sheets of the reserved filo. Spray the top with oil and sprinkle with the almonds and cumin seeds.

6) Bake for 20-25 mins until golden. Put on a baking tray, remove the outer springform tin and return to the oven for 5-10 mins to crisp up.

7) Let the filo pie cool for 10 mins before serving with the steamed vegetables.

Vegan balsamic shiitake mushroom bruschetta with chestnut pâté

Earthy chestnuts and mushrooms combine with zingy balsamic on these crispy toasts

SERVES 4 AS A STARTER | READY IN 30 MINS | PRICE PER SERVING £2.45

TOP TIP: Make this pâté up to two days in advance. Store in the fridge, then reheat in the pan

● 20g pistachios

● 2tbsp extra virgin olive oil

● 1 small onion, finely chopped

● 2 cloves garlic, chopped

● 180g pack Merchant Gourmet Whole Chestnuts

● 4tbsp Alpro Single Soya cream alternative

● 2tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley

● 3 x 115g packs Extra Special British Shiitake Mushrooms, large mushrooms sliced, small ones halved

● 2 sprigs thyme

● 1tbsp balsamic glaze

● 1xB Free Bake at Home White Demi Baguette (from 2-pack), cut into 1cm slices

● 2tbsp pomegranate seeds

1) Toast the pistachios in a dry frying pan for 2mins until golden. Leave to cool, then chop.

2) For the pâté, heat 1tbsp of the oil in the frying pan and cook the onion and garlic over a medium heat for 6-7 mins until softened. Add the chestnuts and cook for 1-2 mins until heated through.

3) Tip into a blender with the cream alternative and blitz until smooth. Season with black pepper and 1tbsp of the parsley.

4) Add the rest of the oil to the same frying pan and cook the mushrooms with the thyme for 4-6 mins. Remove the thyme, drizzle over the balsamic glaze and cook for 1 min.

5) Toast the baguette slices under a grill or in a toaster until crisp and golden. Spread with the pâté and top with the mushrooms. Sprinkle with the pistachios, the remaining parsley and pomegranate seeds, to serve.

Creamy saffron risotto-stuffed butternut squash with feta & pine nuts

A fragrant risotto with tangy feta and toasted pine nuts, roasted with an impressive half squash

SERVES 2 | READY IN 1HR 15MINS | PRICE PER SERVING £1.57

TOP TIP: Not a fan of risotto? You can stuff these with your favourite giant couscous or bulgur wheat recipe for a dish to suit all tastes

● 1 small butternut squash, halved and deseeded

● 4tsp rapeseed oil

● 1 Asda Vegetable Stock Pot

● Pinch saffron

● ½ red onion, thinly sliced

● 2clovesgarlic, sliced

● 80g risotto rice

● ¼tsp dried sage

● 1 sprig rosemary,plus extra to serve

● 100ml dry whitewine (or extra stock)

● 20g babyspinach

● 50g feta, cut intocubes

● 10g pine nuts

1) Preheat the oven to200C/ 180C Fan/Gas 6. Carefully slice a thin disc from the roundest part of the outside of each squash half, parallel to the cut side, so it sits flat. Score the flesh of the squash, taking care not to cut through the skin.

2) Put the squash in a roasting tin lined with greaseproof paper. Rub 1tsp of the oil over the squash. Roast for 40-45 mins.

3) Meanwhile, for the risotto, bring 500ml water to a simmer and add the stock pot. Stir until dissolved, then take off the heat and add the saffron. Leave to steep for 10mins.

4) Heat the rest of the oil in a large nonstick pan and fry the onion and garlic over a medium heat for 6-7 mins.

5) Stir in the rice, sage and rosemary sprig, and cook for 1min. Reduce the heat to low and add the wine (or extra stock), stirring well and scraping off any stuck-on bits from the bottom of the pan. Season well with black pepper. Cook until the liquid is absorbed.

6) Add the stock, a ladle at a time, stirring until fully absorbed before adding another ladle of stock. Once all the stock has been added and the risotto is thick, take off the heat. Remove the rosemary.

7) Use a spoon to scoop out most of the flesh from the rounded end of each squash half, leaving a1cm border.

8) Stir the squash flesh into the risotto with the spinach and feta. Spoon into the squash shells and scatter over the pine nuts. Return to the oven for 15 mins until bubbling and browned.

9) Sprinkle with black pepper and garnish with extra rosemary before serving.

Vegan baked pears with dried fruit & baklava-style topping

A sticky, crunchy topping of spiced fruit and roasted nut crumble adds an indulgent twist to poached pears

SERVES 4 | READY IN 45 MINS | PRICE PER SERVING £1.79

TOP TIP: Don’t worry if you can’t get any pears. This topping works just as well on other poached fruits or crumbles. Why not serve up a variety on the big day?

● 50g demerara sugar

● Zest ½ orange,cut intowide strips with a veg peeler,plus 1tsp finely grated orange zest forthe topping

● 4 whole cloves

● 100ml golden rum (or100ml waterand an extra 20g demerara sugar)

● 4 Grower’s Selection Dessert Pears, peeled, halved and cores removed using a tablespoon

● 25g dried cranberries

● 40g dried mango, chopped into smaller pieces if large

● 30g dried pitted dates, chopped

● 30g walnut pieces, roughly chopped

● 30g pistachios, roughly chopped

● 20g ground almonds

● 4 scoops Asda Free From Vanilla Flavour IceCream

1) Preheat the oven to180C/ 160C Fan/Gas 4. Line a baking tray with baking paper.

2) Put 600ml water into a pan with the sugar, strips of orange zest, cloves and rum (or water and extra sugar, if using). Bring to a simmer and add the pears.

3) Reduce the heat to low and poach for 15mins until just tender at the edges. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and put on the tray.

4) Take the pan off the heat and discard the cloves and zest strips. Add the cranberries, mango and dates and leave to soak for 5mins.

5) Top the pears with the soaked dried fruit and a little of the poaching syrup.

6) Mix together the walnuts, pistachios, ground almonds and the grated zest. Sprinkle over the pears. Drizzle with a little more syrup and bake for 15-20 mins until golden brown.

7) Take the ice cream out of the freezer 10 mins before serving.

8) To serve, arrange 2 pear halves on each plate, along with a scoop of ice cream.