I mentioned briefly in my last slow cooker recipe that my relationship with this new piece of equipment has blossomed quickly. Indeed, it has immediately become a mainstay in my kitchen. Preparing the ingredients the night before, popping it on when I leave for work in the morning, then coming home to freshly cooked, piping hot meal at the end of the day is just too good for words. Not only that but I have several meals worth leftover, saving me time for the rest of the week or allowing me to stock up my freezer hassle-free. How have I gone without it for so long?

As an added bonus, mine is a ‘sear and stew’ model meaning I can fry onions or give any other ingredients a kick-start where necessary by putting the slow cooker insert itself onto the hob, saving the hassle of using another pan or anything beforehand.

Another benefit of the slow cooker, not to be sniffed at, is how cheap it makes creating nutritious meals. I picked up the bag of parsnips for this recipe reduced to just 34p and the rest of the ingredients can’t cost more than a couple of pounds all together.Slow cooking really brings out the sweetness of the ingredients in this soup, with the hint of spice gently balancing it. I kept mine thick and chunky with whole butterbeans but it would also be delicious blended. Ingredients

1tbsp olive oil

6-7 parsnips, cut into thick rounds

2 large sweet potatoes, cut into 2cm cubes

3-4 shallots, chopped

1 tin butterbeans, drained

400ml vegetable stock

4 garlic cloves, crushed

2 tsp curry powder

1 tsp cumin powder

Generous amount of black pepper

Sprinkle of chilli flakes and black pepper to serve

Begin by softening the shallots in the olive oil over a medium heat on the hob. Add the garlic and spices, stirring well. Add the parsnips and sweet potato. Cook for a further five minutes before adding to the slow cooker along with the beans and stock. Stir well to distribute the spices. Cook on high for 2-3 hours or on low for 6-8 hours.

Sprinkle with a touch of chili flakes and black pepper. Serve with crusty granary bread.

Have you made any tasty soups in a slow cooker?