In January I inevitably turn to whole foods: dark, leafy brassicas, whole grains, beans simmered slowly on the stove top. Here are two nourishing dishes that put them all to work – both are vegan and both are very freezer-friendly, if cooking ahead is your thing. One takes inspiration from the herby Persian classic ghormeh sabzi, albeit a pared-down version of what is traditionally a luxurious dish. The other, a pumpkin, ale and barley stew, is a chance to raid your store-cupboard. Pumpkin, sage and barley stew (pictured top) There are many varieties of squash and pumpkin that you could use for this, but my favourite is the pale green crown prince. Prep 15 min Cook 1 hr 10 min Serves 4 30ml olive oil, plus extra to serve 500g pumpkin, halved, seeds discarded and chopped into 2cm-thick wedges (peel it, too, if you prefer, but I don’t bother) 1½ medium onions (about 130g), peeled and sliced 5 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped 300ml ale – I use Newcastle Brown Ale 300g pearl barley 1 tsp salt 1 bunch sage, leaves picked and finely chopped Sourdough bread, to serve Warm the olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium-high heat, then fry the pumpkin wedges for five to six minutes on each side, until well browned. Transfer to a bowl, leave to cool, then cut into 3cm chunks. Put a little more oil in the pan, then fry the onions and garlic for six minutes, until soft and starting to brown. Add the ale, pearl barley and salt, top up with 400ml water and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat to a simmer, cover and cook gently for about 30 minutes. Add the chopped sage, return the pumpkin to the pan, then turn down the heat and simmer very gently for another 15-20 minutes, until the barley and pumpkin are both tender. (As it cooks, check the pan intermittently – you may need to top up with water if it is looking a little dry and the pumpkin and barley are not yet tender.) Taste for seasoning, drizzle with a little more olive oil just before serving, and serve with a thick slice of sourdough toast. Herby mushroom and kidney bean stew You might be able to find dried fenugreek leaves in the world food aisle of a large supermarket, and certainly in a South Asian food shop. Prep 25 min Cook 2 hr 15 min Serves 4 400g mushrooms, sliced Olive oil Fine salt 2 medium onions (about 200g), peeled, halved and thinly sliced 3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped ¾ tsp ground turmeric 1½ tsp ground cumin 300g dried kidney beans, soaked overnight in cold water 2 dried limes 115g fresh coriander (soft stems and leaves), chopped, plus extra leaves to serve 115g fresh flat-leaf parsley (soft stems and leaves), chopped 4 tbsp dried fenugreek leaves 1 lemon Vegan yoghurt, to serve Heat the oven to 220C (200C fan)/425F/gas 7. Scatter the mushrooms over a large baking tray, drizzle with olive oil and a couple of pinches of salt, then roast for 10 minutes, until dark and shrunken. Set aside to cool. Warm two tablespoons of olive oil in a large saucepan for which you have a lid, then add the onions, garlic, turmeric and cumin, and fry on a high heat for six minutes, until the onions are starting to brown at the edges. Stir in the kidney beans, top up with enough water to cover them, and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat to a gentle simmer, add the dried limes and leave to cook. While the beans are cooking, warm three tablespoons of olive oil in a large frying pan on a low heat, add the coriander, parsley and fenugreek, and fry, stirring, for about 20 minutes, until the herbs have wilted to a dark, aromatic green. Add the herbs to the beans with a quarter-teaspoon of salt, then carry on cooking for about 60-90 minutes, or until the beans are tender (keep tasting). Once the beans are ready, add lemon juice to taste, stir in the roast mushrooms, and check the seasoning, adding more salt if need be. Stir through a tablespoon of vegan yoghurt, sprinkle over some fresh coriander leaves and serve.