I do not like being told what to do. When the government starts nagging about obesity and drinking I want to buy a tin of Quality Street and a big bottle of gin. But the five-a-day campaign has me counting my fruit and veg the way I count calories. I sit on the bus wondering whether that bowl of pumpkin and lentil soup counts as two portions or one. Friends idly recount their intake. "Well, I started this morning with muesli, bioyogurt, blueberries and chopped apple…" recite the holier-than-thou brigade. (And they're always the ones with no kids – mothers are lucky if they get to chew on a leftover Marmite-smeared crust while dragging the not-quite-dry PE kit off the radiator.) Blueberries and apple? They're already two up on me and the day hasn't even begun.

Count your intake. I bet you rarely hit the magic number. Which is why when I accidentally cook a lovely dish that has a big quota of veggies I feel fortified, healthy, happy, almost smug. And it occurs more often than expected. Last week, I had to rustle up supper for a vegetarian friend who begged a room for the night at the last minute. Plenty of choice in the fridge and the veggie basket – squash, aubergine, tomato, spinach and broccoli – meant Iwas able to make a Thai green vegetable curry in 20 minutes. I used a bought jar of curry paste, perking it upwith ginger, garlic and fish sauce and some fresh coriander from the corner shop. After three big bowlfuls, I think I'd probably had 15 a day. Vegetable stews – and you can do Indian and Moroccan spiced ones, too – are a great way to achieve your quota. So are big soups. A wintry minestrone, thick with white beans, carrot, tinned tomato, celery and cabbage, topped with a spoonful of parsley and walnut pesto does not feel like a meal that is simply good for you. It is downright yummy as well.

Then there's roast veggies. I sometimes wonder what we ate before Mediterranean roast vegetables came along. I often just shove a load in the oven while I have something else cooking, knowing that an olive-oil-rich plateful will always be welcome.

And you can adapt them. Roast them with chilli and cumin, adding pine nuts and raisins near the end, and you have Middle Eastern veg to eat with Greek yogurt and couscous. Mix them with yoghurt and some Madras curry paste before roasting and you have Indian veggies to be enjoyed with chutney and rice. Do I think five a day is a good idea? You bet I do. As long as the five are gorgeous.

Moroccan Spiced Roast Squash and Chickpeas with Minted Onions

This dish is quite adaptable. Sweet potato can be used instead of squash, and you can change the spices. Cinnamon or cumin are good as an alternative to the star anise, and fresh coriander can replace the mint.

Serves six

2kg squash or pumpkin (butternut and Crown Prince have a good flavour)
8 tbsp olive oil
150g cherry tomatoes
2 x 410g tins chickpeas, drained
2 red chillis, halved, deseeded and finely sliced
4 cloves garlic, finely sliced
4 star anise
3cm cube fresh ginger, grated
3 onions, peeled, halved and finely sliced
Juice of ½ lemon
2 tbsp chopped mint leaves

Cut the squash into wedges and peel each one. Put them into a roasting tin in which they can lie in a single layer with enough room for the tomatoes later. Season and drizzle with five tablespoons of olive oil.

Turn the pieces over with your hands, making sure they get covered in oil. Put in an oven preheated to 180°C/gas 4 and roast for 20 minutes.

Take the tin out of the oven and add the tomato, chickpeas, chilli, garlic, star anise and ginger.

Turn everything around to distribute the flavourings and get the tomatoes covered in oil.

Put the tin back in the oven and roast for a further 15 to 20 minutes, or until the tomatoes and squash are tender and slightly singed in places.

Put three tablespoons of olive oil in a frying pan and cook the onions over a medium heat until they are soft, about 10 to 12 minutes.

Season then turn up the heat to brown the onions. Finally, stir in the lemon juice and mint.

Serve the roast vegetables with the onions strewn over the top. Couscous is great on the side. If you think some people will want it hotter, you could serve a little bowl of harissa loosened with a splash of boiling water.

Greek Spinach and Leek Pie

Greece boasts an endless array of pies, and you can use this one as a blueprint. Replace some of the leeks with roast butternut squash or sautéed courgettes, add a layer of buttery rice or bulgur wheat, or make a non-vegetarian version by adding cooked chicken or minced lamb.

Serves eight

1kg spinach, washed and destalked
1kg leeks
175g butter
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
75g grated parmesan
500g ricotta, drained of any water
4 large eggs, beaten
300g feta cheese, crumbled
1 tbsp dill, chopped
300g filo pastry

Put the spinach into a large saucepan with the water that clings to it after washing. Cover and set over a low heat.

Let the spinach wilt for about five minutes, turning it over a couple of times to make sure it doesn't burn. Leave to cool.

Slit the leeks lengthwise so that they open up like fans. This makes them easier to wash properly. Clean under running water, making sure all soil is removed. Trim and discard the bases and slice finely.

Heat 75g of the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and add the leeks and season. Throw in about 30ml water, cover with a lid and sweat the leeks over a low heat until they are really soft. You'll need to stir them every so often.

Check the leeks don't burn and that they stay moist, adding a splash of water if not. It will take about 15 minutes for them to become soft. Once they're soft, take the lid off and turn up the heat to boil off any excess liquid.

Squeeze all the water out of the spinach – you can do it in your fists, or press it between two plates. This is really important or you'll end up with a watery pie that won't set. Chop roughly. Heat 25g of the butter in a pan and add the garlic. Sauté till soft but not coloured, then add the spinach. Turn round in the butter, season and add half the parmesan. Set aside.

In a bowl, mix together the ricotta, eggs, feta, dill and the rest of the parmesan. Season.

Now assemble the pie. You can make it in a spring-form tin 26.5cm across and 5cm deep, or in a tart ring set on a metal baking sheet.

Melt the rest of the butter. Keep the pastry under a tea towel as you work with it, otherwise it becomes brittle and breaks. Brush the tin with melted butter (no need to line it with paper), then use two thirds of the pastry to line it as follows:

First lay four overlapping sheets on the base to cover it completely, then place sheets like the spokes of a wheel, radiating from the centre of the base, with each sheet covering the sides of the tin and hanging over the edge.

Brush each piece with butter after you have placed it in the tin. Lay the spinach on the base, then spoon on half the leeks. Put the cheese and egg layer on next, and top with the rest of the leeks.

Now pull the dangling bits of filo over to cover the filling, brushing them with butter. Use the rest of the pastry to cover the top, overlapping the sheets and tucking them in down the sides. Brush the top with lots of butter.

Don't worry about it being neat – it will look great once it turns golden.

Put in an oven preheated to 200°C/gas 6 and cook for 50 minutes. The pie should be golden. If it is getting too dark, cover it with foil.

Leave it to sit for about 10 minutes to firm up a bit, then carefully remove the ring around the pie and slide it on to a warm serving dish.

Since there is a lot of greenery in it, serve a colourful vegetable such as roast squash or red pepper on the side.

© Stella magazine/The Sunday Telegraph