We don’t eat enough boxty in Ireland. These potato pancakes are so easy to make and so tasty. Boxty is a thrifty and clever way to use up left over mash, stretched further by adding grated raw potato! The secret to really tasty boxty is adding a small knob of butter to finish frying them on the pan.
Eat them as they are or serve with eggs, mushrooms and beans for a delicious weekend brunch.
Peel and grate the raw potato. Place in a clean tea towel, wrap it and squeeze out the starch.
Finely slice the spring onions and keep some of the green tops for garnish.
Add the mash potato to a mixing bowl along with the grated potato, sliced spring onion, bicarbonate of soda, buttermilk, flour and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Give the batter a good mix.
Heat a frying pan on a medium heat.
Lightly coat the pan with oil.
Spoon on 3 – 4 generous mounds of the potato batter.
Cook gently and just like pancakes, wait for little bubbles to form.
Carefully flip and cook for a further few minutes.
Cook all of the boxty and then return to the pan and drop in a couple knobs of butter, let the butter melt and coat the potato pancakes. Serve straight away.
The days of 3 square meals has gone out the window for most. Snacking seems to be habitual to many and it definitely isn’t a bad thing so long as the snacks are packed full of energy boasting ingredients like these yummy sugar free flapjacks.
Feel free to snack on these morning, noon or night they taste so good. We favour these over individually wrapped packets from the supermarket too! #lessplasticpackaging
Tip: These flapjacks work best with really ripe black bananas. You can ripen yellow bananas by baking them in the oven for 30-40 mins at 180c or in the air fryer at 180c for 13 minutes.
This fresh, sweet salad is the perfect vehicle for my favourite crunchy condiment, dukka. Dukka is an Egyptian dip/sprinkle made with toasted nuts, sesame seeds and spices. It is absolutely stunning – earthy, nutty, warmly spiced with the most intoxicating fragrance. Use it the traditional way as a dry dip (dunk bread in olive oil then into the dukka and devour) or as a crunchy topping for endless salads, soups, stews… you’ll find any excuse to use it once you have a jar in your pantry. Beetroots are in season now and perhaps eating them raw is the most delicious way? Let me know your favourite beetroot recipes in the comments.
Liz x
Ingredients
For the dukka:
250g mixed nuts (or use just the traditional hazelnuts)
4 tbsp sesame seeds
2 tbsp fennel seeds
2 tbsp cumin seeds
2 tbsp coriander seeds
optional tsp of salt
For the salad:
3 carrots, julienned
3 beetroot, julienned
a large handful of chopped parsley
the juice of half a lemon
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
a very small clove of garlic, crushed or finely grated
salt and pepper to taste
Method
To make the dukka, toast the nuts in a dry, hot frying pan until they start to take on some colour. Stir often whilst toasting to avoid burning any. Allow the nuts to cool a little before tipping them into a food processor. Pulse to roughly chop the nuts before adding the other smaller ingredients.
Toast the sesame seeds, fennel, coriander and cumin in the dry, hot frying pan next. They will start to pop and smell incredible. Tip them in with the nuts and pulse the processor again until you have a fairly uniform, crumbly mixture. Careful not to over-process, you want crunch and texture, not powder. You can add salt at this stage if you like too.
Allow the dukka to completely cool before storing in a clean jar. Use within one month for optimum freshness and flavour.
To make the salad, add the julienned carrots and beetroot to a salad bowl along with the chopped parsley. Mix the lemon juice, olive oil, garlic and seasoning and pour over the salad. Toss well and just before serving, sprinkle over the dukka. We ate it alongside a parsnip pilaf (next recipe) and some natural yoghurt.
This plant based ragu is delicious, nutritious and has a gorgeous texture. The earthy sweet beetroots, wholesome lentils and crunchy, nutty walnuts all mingle perfectly to make a really delicious, vibrant pasta sauce. It is wonderful in layers in a lasagne too. If you are not a fan of beetroot, simply swap it for mushrooms and carrots. We do have a lot of brilliant beetroots coming out of our own fields now though, so this recipe is a great way to enjoy this locally grown, seasonal vegetable. Beetroots are brimming with goodness – iron, potassium, antioxidants and more!
Liz x
Ingredients (serves 6)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely diced
3 sticks of celery, finely diced
250g beetroot, finely diced
150g raw green/brown lentils, rinsed (or use two tins of cooked lentils)
100g walnuts, crushed/crumbled into lentil sized pieces
2 bay leaves
4 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp chilli flakes
1/2 tsp oregano
2 tbsp capers, finely chopped
1 glass of red wine
1 tin of chopped tomatoes
2 tbsp tomato puree
salt and pepper to taste
500ml vegetable stock
Method
In a wide, heavy bottomed pan, on a medium heat, cook the onion, celery and beetroot with the olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Stir often and after around 8 minutes, the vegetables should be softened.
Then add the lentils, walnuts and flavourings (the garlic, capers, fennel seeds, bay leaves, oregano, chilli and thyme). Stir and cook for a couple of minutes to wake up the flavours in the seasoning. Then add the glass of wine and let it bubble until it is nearly evaporated.
Pour in the tin of tomatoes, the tomato puree and the vegetable stock and pop the lid on the pot. Simmer for 30 minutes or until the lentils are soft and the sauce is rich. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking and keep an eye on the liquid levels, you may need to add a splash of water if it starts to look dry.
Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed with more salt or pepper and serve over freshly cooked pasta. Enjoy!
Bibimbap means mixed rice and we are totally in love with the concept and flavours of these colourful Korean bowls. We eat versions of this so often, it’s our go-to dinner when we are stuck for inspiration. They’re a great way to use up leftovers or odds and ends from your veg drawer too. Eat with hot sauce and kimchi – a spicy, sour fermented cabbage full of flavour and so much goodness for your guts – we stock a really good one or search here in the blog to make your own. Traditionally topped with a raw or fried egg, we prefer some scrambled tofu. Here’s the very loose and flexible recipe which you should totally make your own. Enjoy!
Cook rice or use leftover rice and make a cold bowl.
Rinse your kale and strip out the tough stems. Finely slice the stems and place in a pan with a little oil and some sliced garlic. Sauté gently until they start to soften, then add the wet leaves and a sprinkle of salt. Stir fry to wilt the leaves, you may want to add a little splash of water to help them wilt.
Slice the mushrooms and sauté with a little oil until they start to colour. Then add a splash of soy sauce and let the mushrooms cook for a few minutes until they are dark and delicious.
Grate or julienne carrots. Mix them in a bowl with a splash of soy sauce, a drizzle of toasted sesame oil and a squeeze of lime. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Scramble tofu by stirring silken tofu in a hot pan with some butter, salt, pepper and a pinch of turmeric. Break it up into lumps and sauté until it’s hot through.
Slice your scallions and assemble your bowls. Start with rice then top with a portion of all the other sides. Stir and dig in!
The Twix bar is so iconic! Well known for its biscuit base, caramel centre and topped with chocolate. Would you believe me if I said these are sugar free, wheat free, dairy free and an utterly delicious alternative. #guiltfreetreats
The date and almond caramel filling is divine, make extra and use it for dipping apple slices, in brownies, on porridge or add it to smoothies.
Find all the ingredient needed in the groceries section, most of which are in compostable or reusable packaging.
Line a small tray (4x8inch approx) or lunch box with parchment paper.
Start by making the base, measure the coconut flour, melted coconut oil and maple syrup into a mixing bowl. Stir well to combine.
Spoon into the tray and push down to flatten. Tip use an extra piece of parchment paper the size of the tray put it on top of the base and push to flatten with the palm of your hand. Chill the base for 5 minutes.
For the caramel add all the ingredients to a small blender, pulse to blend and add the hot water as needed- you might not need it all. Blend until smooth, the consistency should be thick and not too loose.
Spoon the caramel onto the base and smooth with the back of a spoon until its nice and even. Chill for at least 1 hour.
After this time cut into bars and place on a wire rack or plate.
Melt the chocolate gently in a pot or in the microwave.
Spoon the melted chocolate over top of the bars and chill for 10 minutes. Enjoy!
This stroganoff-inspired stew uses a not-so-secret ingredient that we are currently obsessed with. Blended beans! For a shortcut to a creamy, luscious, perfect-textured sauce, try blending beans! We have even started blending beans into our pasta sauces for extra creamy texture and nutrients. Beans are thrifty and so incredibly healthy. They are a great crop for the planet too, a real win win. Meaty mushrooms and tasty cubes of celeriac are simmered with this simple sauce to create a satisfying stew with complex flavours and the perfect silky texture, usually only achieved by low, slow cooking. This is wonderful winter food which will warm you up from the inside. Enjoy with rice or mashed potatoes and a side of winter greens.
Liz x
Ingredients (serves 4)
2 tbsp olive oil
about 20 chestnut mushrooms, halved
1/2 a celeriac, peeled and cut into bite sized cubes
1 tin of kidney beans, drained
1 tbsp bouillon powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp smoked paprika
1 tbsp tomato puree
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
approx 300ml of cream or milk
salt and pepper to taste
fresh dill, cooked rice/potatoes & wilted greens to serve
Method
In a heavy bottomed pot, sauté the mushrooms and celeriac with the oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Cook over a medium heat, stirring often, until the vegetables are softened and have taken on a lovely golden colour. Alternatively, you could do this in the oven or airfryer.
Place the beans, bouillon, paprika, garlic, tomato puree, mustard and milk/cream in a blender. Add salt and pepper to your taste and blend into a smooth cream.
when your mushrooms and celeriac are cooked through, pour the kidney bean cream over them and simmer and stir to warm through. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
Serve over cooked rice or mashed potatoes and scatter over freshly torn dill and a good grind of black pepper. Enjoy!
We love oats in every way, when you eat them they release energy slowly over the next few hours and make for a great start to the day! However, porridge everyday can get a bit boring so we’ve added a few good ingredients to make this indulgent baked oats dish. Of course you probably won’t have chocolate oats everyday so give this a go at the weekend or to celebrate a special day! Serve as it is or with yoghurt and banana or ice cream and berries.
Saag aloo gobi = greens potatoes cauliflower. It’s a classic Indian side dish, a drier curry, delicately spiced and absolutely delicious! We find it easier to mostly make it in the oven and then quickly finish it off on the hob with the spinach/kale and lemon juice. It is honestly gorgeous, we make it so often to go with our weekly bowl of dal or chickpea masala. Or to make it a meal in it’s own right, add a drained tin of chickpeas or some chopped extra firm tofu to the pan for some protein. Don’t stress if you don’t have the brown mustard seeds or cumin seeds, just leave them out. Top with sliced chilli for an extra kick. I hope you really enjoy it.
Liz x
Ingredients
1 large red onion, peeled and sliced
1 cauliflower, cut into florets
around 6 medium potatoes, cut into bites
2 tbsp oil
1 tsp brown mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp curry powder
1 tsp salt
black pepper to taste
the juice of 1/2 a lemon
200g chopped kale/spinach
Method
Pre-heat your oven to 200C and find a large oven and hob safe dish (or you can just use a deep oven dish). Tumble in the chopped onion, cauliflower and potatoes then drizzle with the oil.
Add the whole spices, curry powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper then mix well with your hands to evenly coat each bite with the seasoning.
Roast in the oven for around 30 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked through. Check and stir the dish every 10 minutes to ensure an even bake.
Now place the pan on a hot hob and stir through the lemon juice and kale/spinach. Cook until the greens are wilted. Alternatively, if you are using a baking dish that is not safe on the hob, wilt the greens separately then stir through with the lemon juice.
Serve hot with rice and dal or chickpea masala. Enjoy!
This rich, delicious and nutritious chickpea masala is a staple in our Indian-food-obsessed house. It’s thrifty, using just a few tins, a tbsp of spice blend, onion and garlic, and is fairly quick to put together. You could definitely make it in a slow cooker too if you like. I would not claim that this is an authentic chana masala recipe from the north of India, but this simplified version is the way we like to make it. I love making my own fresh and fragrant spice blends and have included my garam masala recipe at the end of this blog, but of course you should feel free to use a ready made blend or if you cant find one you can even substitute with curry powder. Garam masala is intensely fragrant, with warm and sweet notes, not really like the western invention ’curry powder’ which relies on turmeric and fenugreek for that classic ’curry’ fragrance, so if you do make a switch, it wont be a masala as such, but it will still be a gorgeous chickpea curry. No stress, either way you will really enjoy it with rice or flatbreads and coriander.
Liz x
Ingredients (serves 4)
1 large or 2 small onions, peeled and cut into quarters
4 big cloves of garlic, peeled
2 tbsp vegetable oil (or coconut oil or ghee)
1 tbsp garam masala (see recipe below or use ready made)
1 tbsp tomato purée
1 tin of chopped tomatoes
2 tins of chickpeas
1 tin of full fat coconut milk
salt to taste
fresh coriander and cooked rice or naan bread to serve
Method
Use a blender or smoothie maker to blend the onion and garlic into a paste. Fry the paste in a heavy bottomed pot with the oil and garam masala until browned. Over a medium heat, this should take around 8 minutes. Keep stirring, the spices and onion mix will start to stick on the bottom of the pot, that is a good thing. Simply loosen all that flavour with a splash of water and scrape up and stir into the sauce with a wooden spoon.
Add the tomato purée, then briefly blend the tin of tomatoes and add that to the pot too. Simmer and stir for around 5 minutes to reduce this gravy.
Drain and rinse the chickpeas and add them into the tomato gravy along with the solid coconut cream from the top of the tin of coconut milk. Season with salt to your taste, then simmer for another 10 minutes or so until the masala has thickened up and the chickpeas have absorbed the delicious flavours.
Serve sprinkled with fresh coriander over rice or scooped up with naan breads. We also like ours served with a potato, cauliflower and kale side dish, recipe for that coming up next!
GARAM MASALA SPICE BLEND
Garam masala is an intensely fragrant, warm and sweet, Indian spice blend, essential in many Indian recipes. There are many different regional (and household) variations and this is mine. Use it in the chana masala recipe above or to add extra flavour to your next pot of dal. It’s also a gorgeous rub or seasoning for anything you’d like to roast in the oven or grill. Garam masala fries are amazing!
Measure these whole spices into a small blender or spice grinder and grind into powder:
2 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tbsp cumin seeds
1 tsp whole cloves
1 tbsp cardamom seeds (or whole pods)
1 tbsp black pepper corns
1 tsp caraway seeds
1 tbsp fennel seeds
Then add these ground spices and blend again to evenly combine:
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
1 tbsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tbsp chilli powder
Store in a clean, dry, airtight container and don’t forget to label it. I like to reuse jars for my spices. It is best to make small batches and use whilst fresh, within 6 months.
