Your guide to slow cooking

We're bringing you tips and advice to help during the rising cost of living. This month, we show you how to make the most of your slow cooker 

The BBC Good Food website is filled with popular slow-cooker collections, and for good reason. Slow cookers are a hard-working kitchen gadget, and they can do it all, from curries and roasts, to puddings and drinks. They are a great budget purchase as they are inexpensive to buy, efficient, and economical to run. Slow cookers and pressure cookers are excellent for cooking cheaper cuts of meat and batch-cooking to fill your freezer. The hands-off approach to cooking means you are not bound to the stove. Just add the ingredients and let it do the work for you.

Vegetable stew with cheddar dumplings

This vegetarian twist on a classic stew has it all: cheesy dumplings, a creamy sauce, and lots of veg. For a hearty and wholesome meal that's guaranteed to put a smile on your face at the end of a long day, look no further.

SERVES 6 PREP 20 mins COOK 6 hrs EASY V

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 200g baby carrots, trimmed and halved if large
• 3 leeks, cut into thick slices
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 3 tbsp plain flour
• 400ml vegetable stock
• 2 courgettes, cut into large chunks
• 2 x 400g cans butter or cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 thyme, rosemary or tarragon sprigs
• 200ml crème fraîche
• 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
• 200g broad beans or peas
• 200g spinach
• ½ small bunch of parsley, finely chopped, plus extra to serve

For the dumplings