Such a simple but delicious summer pudding. Perfect for a family gathering or to finish a delicious meal. I made the only apple version last summer and this year I’ve added tasty organic blueberries. Our Irish eating apples are crisp and delicious and are great to bake with too.
We’re looking forward to all the seasonal Irish summer fruit. We like to keep it simple and effortless to make the most of its natural goodness and flavour.
Step1: Preheat the oven 180ºc. Line a large baking tray with parchment paper – you may need two baking trays.
Step 2: Peel the 3 apples in half and scoop out the core, fill the hole with blueberries.
Step 3: Mix the sugar and the cinnamon in a bowl.
Step 4: Divide the pastry into 6 equal squares.
Step 5: Spoon the cinnamon sugar onto the tray, you want 6 mounds of sugar. Carefully place the apple, with the blueberries, flat side down on each of the sugar mounds. Put the pastry over each apple half and use your hands to cup the pastry around the apple half.
Step 6: Place in the oven and bake for 35 minutes. Let the pastries cool for 15 minutes, use a wide spatula to slide under the caramelised apple and lift it off carefully. Serve warm with toasted almonds, fresh whipped cream and fresh blueberries.
Summer is well on the way, soon we’ll be reaching for the picnic blanket. These tasty little rolls are just perfect to pack for a beach day or a day out in the fields. Spinach is the hero vegetable in these. We’ve chopped and sautéed it and mixed through some cheese including cashew cheese for more nutty protein!
Pop some of our organic Irish spinach in your basket this week and make sure to try these. Eat them warm with a salad or cold from your hand either way they are a delight to eat.
Lou x
Ingredients: makes 10 or 12 small rolls
1 pack ready rolled puff pastry (395g approx)
Filling: 120g fresh spinach, washed and chopped stalks and all 1 red onion, finely diced 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped or grated salt & pepper to taste 30ml water
Step 1: Begin by frying the onion and garlic for a few minutes till soft, add in the spinach, a small pinch of salt and pepper and the water and fry until the water has evaporated. Cool down, for quickest cooling spread on a large tray. Once cooled add in the cashew cheese, cream cheese and mozzarella and mix well.
Step 2: Preheat the oven 180ºC. Line a tray with parchment paper
Step 3: Spread the mixed filling over the pastry sheet and roll it up, once rolled press down to flatten slightly and slice into 10 or 12 even pieces. A serrated knife works best for slicing.
Step 4: Glaze with a beaten egg or milk, sprinkle with sesame seeds and bake for approximately 40 minutes. They should be golden brown and cooked all the way through. Leave to cool for 5-10 min. They can be eaten warm or cold.
Summer is on the way and so is salad season! We are always on the look out for new trends and couldn’t wait to make this viral crispy potato salad. It is so easy to make and tastes amazing. Our Irish organic spuds are just the best to use, keep the skins on for extra fibre, nutrition, zero food waste and extra crispiness!
Keep it plant based with vegan mayo and yoghurt – find most of what you need in our groceries.
We hope you enjoy making this one,
Lou x
Ingredients: feeds 4
1kg potatoes, washed and diced 1inch cubes 1/2 cucumber, finely diced 1 small bunch parsley, finely chopped 1 small bunch dill, finely chopped 1/2 cup (120g) vegan yogurt 1/2 cup (120g)vegan mayo 1/2 red onion, finely diced zest and juice of 1/2 lemon 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
Salt and pepper to taste
Method:
Step 1: To speed up the cooking time its best to steam the potato cubes first until soft this will take about 30 minutes.
Step 2: Preheat the oven 220ºC fan. Transfer the cooked potatoes onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper, drizzle with oil, salt and pepper toss to coat and roast in the oven for about 30 minutes or until golden- they may need more or less time, keep a close eye on them. They are ready when they are golden and crispy around the edges.
Step 3: Grab a large serving bowl, measure in the yoghurt, mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice, salt and pepper and stir. Next add the chopped herbs, cucumber, red onion and stir once more. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
Step 4: Tumble in the cooked crispy potatoes while warm, stir to coat in the dressing and serve up.
Homemade chocolate treats that are made with lots of good organic stuff.. .yes please! These are rich and decadent and give a great boost of energy. I ordered some lovely organic medjool dates and walnuts and organic dark chocolate to make these. Perfect with that mid morning coffee.
They are a no bake treat so no ovens needed just a bit of time to set in the fridge. Grab all you need for these tasty snacks in our online shop.
We hope you try them.
Lou X
Ingredients: makes 16 squares
-150g – 1 cup medjool dates, stone removed – 60g – 1/3 cup walnuts, chopped – 40g- 1/3 cup ground almonds – 40g – 1/3 cup cocoa powder – 40g – 1/2 cup oats – 110g – 1/3 cup smooth peanut butter – 2-4 tbsp boiled water – 150g Dark chocolate bar plus 1 tablespoon coconut oil
**Taste the mix -feel free to add a dash of maple syrup or honey if it tastes bitter.
Method:
Step 1: Line a 8inch square tin with parchment paper.
Step 2: If using medjool dates, remove the stone and add them straight to the blender. If using regular dried dates, soak in boiling water for 5 minutes, then discard the water.
Step 3: Add the dates, ground almonds, cocoa powder, oats and peanut butter to a blender. Blend until smooth. Add a tablespoon or 2 of boiled water if the mix is dry. Then add the walnuts and pulse. Check the texture with a spoon, if it sticks its ready, if its dry add a bit more water.
Step 4: Pour the brownie mix into the tin and press down with the back of a spoon. Try smooth it as best you can. Melt the chocolate and coconut oil in the microwave in short bursts (or in a pot over simmering water), then pour over the base and transfer to the fridge to set for an hour.
Take from the fridge and slice into squares.
This will keep in the fridge for 1 week or in the freezer for 3 months.
I grew up working on a farm, the man I worked for used to refer to soil as “good clean dirt”, he was of the opinion that no harm ever came from handling soil, and he was right.
At that time chemicals were just starting to creep into agriculture here in the west of Ireland and that was back in the early 80s. Food grown locally at that time was generally free from chemicals, with the exception probably and ironically of potatoes, which would have been sprayed for blight. Back then wild button mushrooms still grew in the fields, cowslips were plentiful and generally our fields were full of diversity. This is not the case today, and the funny thing is you never see why. The application of chemicals to our land and to our food occurs all the time but we are generally blissfully unaware that it is happening. They say once awareness dawns you can never go back, maybe that is true for food also, that is of course if we choose not to ignore the facts.
There are certainly more controls and checks and balances in Europe than in other parts of the world, but that doesn’t make chemical agriculture right. But with much of our food in this country being imported and as we don’t have the same visibility on what controls are implemented in foreign parts, (over 85% of all fruit and vegetables are imported) then choosing organic becomes even more important. Organic systems are not perfect, but they do offer an alternative, one that keeps chemicals off our food, and in doing so also helps protect biodiversity. It does sometimes feel ironic that it is the organic producer that must prove their credentials, go through the extra paperwork, and submit samples to prove that we are not doing anything underhand.
So it is that I dig out this event of last November, when a piece of our kale was tested for 1 of 870 chemicals, it came back with a clean bill of health. The fact that there were 870 chemicals on that test list, means I imagine that there are 870 active chemicals that can be applied and are applied in varying amounts to our food. I was shocked, why else would they test for all of these?
It seems ironic that we may go to such lengths to get soil off our hands, we can see the dirt, and we can wash it clean, we can be obsessed with keeping our bodies clean, but how about what we put into our bodies. It is the unseen agents that often do the most damage, and generally a wash is not sufficient to get chemicals off our food, especially those that are systemic (Get absorbed into the tissue of the plant) in nature. These chemicals can’t be removed by washing, they are in and on conventional food and they will inevitably end up in our bodies.
You would have to wonder why sickness is so prevalent in our society today and while there is no definite one root cause and it is certainly a complex issue, there is little doubt that our diet can have a large detrimental effect on our health. Conversely if approached correctly what we eat can only contribute to a more positive well-being.
When we consume healthy fresh organic food, we are doing our body a great service, and similarly we are demonstrating a level of respect for the planet, that is aiding in protecting the amazing biodiversity we share this world with.
Here is to zero chemicals on our food.
Kenneth
PS, Power to all women in the world, without whose compassion and understanding, dedication and hard work we would be lost, happy international women’s day and happy mothers day in advance. I feel that a matriarchal led society would certainly be kinder to our planet too.
Crispy, so savoury and packed full of flavour. We think you’ll love these plant based rolls. Delicious for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
We have the nicest chestnut mushrooms rich in immune boosting nutrients, cooked down with onions and spices. They give the best texture. We’ve bulked these out with protein packed chickpeas and almonds and blended the mix with iron rich baby spinach. Serve them with a sweet chilli dipping sauce, divine.
Grab most of the ingredients in our groceries.
Lou x
Ingredients: makes 8 rolls
I pack of ready rolled puff pastry(375g) – most are suitable for vegans 1.5 tbsp oil 1 pack (250g) chestnut mushrooms, finely diced
1 red onion, finely diced 3 gloves garlic, finely chopped or grated 2 tbsp tomato paste 1 tbsp maple syrup 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp smoked paprika 1 tbsp soya sauce 40g baby spinach 1 tin chickpeas rinsed and drained 100g flaked almonds Salt and pepper to taste 1 egg whisked or milk of choice to glaze 1-2 tablespoons sesame seeds to decorate
Method: Step 1: Preheat the oven 200ºC fan. Line a large baking tray with parchment paper. Leave the puff pastry out of fridge to come to room temperature.
Step 2: Start by warming a frying pan on a medium heat, add the oil and the diced onion. Cook for five or so minutes to soften. Add the chopped garlic and cook for a few minutes. Next add the diced chestnut mushrooms and cook for a good 5 -10 minutes, until they shrink in size. Spoon in the tomato puree, maple syrup, soy sauce, cumin and paprika. Stir to coat the mushrooms and cook for a further few minutes. Set aside to cool for a minute or two.
Step 3: To a food processor add the cooked mix, drained chickpeas and flaked almonds, chopped spinach. Blend to combine but keep the mix a bit chunky for texture. Taste the mix add salt or pepper if needed.
Step 4: Unroll the pastry, divide in 2 lengthways giving 2 even strips. Spoon the mix down the middle of the pastry in a sausage shape. Brush one side of the pastry strip with egg or milk. Gently fold the pastry over, use a fork to seal it. Cut the strip into 4 and put them on the baking tray, seam side underneath. Brush with egg or milk, sprinkle sesame seeds on top. Repeat with the other strip of pastry.
Bake for 30-40 minutes until nice and golden brown and delicious.
Valentines day is this week and we think this would make for a very special meal for the one(s) you love. Deliciously spiced, creamy and satisfying all the things a curry should be. We have roasted some butternut squash and tofu for extra texture and it tastes fantastic.
Butternut squash are a great winter vegetable thats so versatile and perfect in a silky sauce.
Sugar and spice and all things nice for your special person this Valentines- we’ve got you covered.
Step 1: Preheat the oven 180ºC. Dry the tofu thoroughly with kitchen paper. Toss the butternut squash in oil, salt and pepper and place on a baking tray. Toss the cubed tofu in 1 tablespoon of cornflour and a small pinch of salt place on a second baking tray. Roast both in the over for 30 minutes. The butternut squash may need a bit longer, it is ready when it pierces easily with a knife.
Step 2: Start the sauce: Warm a wide pan on a medium heat, add the butter and onions and cook to soften for about 5 minutes. Add the grated garlic, ginger and cook for a further 2 minutes. Then add the rest of the ingredients and stir to combine. Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
Step 3: When the tofu and squash are roasted stir them into the sauce. Cook on low for a further few minutes then serve up.
Serve with boiled rice, green beans, fresh coriander and naan bread.
A good friend of mine showed me how to make chapati a long time ago. I was so amazed at how few ingredients were needed and how quick and tasty they were. Chapati are traditionally served with lentils or a curry but I wanted something light for lunch.
I really fancied hummus but realised I had no chickpeas but still determined to have hummus I made do with my cauliflower, roast garlic, tahini and spices and it was delicious.
Its amazing what you can make with so few ingredients and a bit of imagination.
Step 1: Make the chapati dough. Mix all the ingredients together and knead for 5 minutes. Diving into 8 balls and leave on the counter top under a clean tea towel to rest.
Step 2: Start the cauliflower hummus. Wrap the garlic with a tablespoon of oil in a tinfoil parcel and roast in the oven or air fryer @180ºC for 20-30 minutes until completely roasted and soft. Steam the cauliflower florets or boil them in water until soft.
Step 3: Flour the work top and dust a rolling pin, roll out the dough balls into flat circles, they should be thin like a tortilla. Keep the dough covered all the time with a clean tea towel. Warm a frying pan on a medium heat, make sure the pan is hot. Add the first chapati and cook until you see bubbles, then flip and cook the other side, repeat. They will have brown spots but try not burn them too much.
Step 4: To a blender add the cooked cauliflower, squeeze the roasted garlic, add the tahini, turmeric, cumin, salt and olive oil, blend until smooth.
Serve the chapatis with the cauliflower hummus, chopped herbs, raw red onion or cabbage.
Slowly cooked risotto is deliciously creamy and comforting especially on a crisp cold day in January. After the costly pinch of Christmas its great to have a few dishes that are easy on the pocket yet packed of flavour.
This is a plant based version, made with plant based butter and cheese.
Sweet Irish leeks are one of my favourite vegetables and they are the perfect partner to vitamin D rich Irish mushrooms in this one pot meal.
Gradually adding hot stock to the rice will create a perfect bowl of risotto. It’s always worth the effort.
Let us know if you try it we love to hear from you.
1 litre of hot vegetable stock (substitute 100ml stock for dry white wine if you wish)
juice 1/2 a lemon
A big knob of butter (30g), use dairy or non dairy
1 tbsp. Nutritional yeast
Salt, pepper and olive oil
grated firm cheese to finish, use dairy or non dairy
optional topping: a handful of chopped fresh parsley
Method:
Method: Step 1: Heat 1 litre of stock in a pan and bring to a boil.
Step 2: Meanwhile, in another pan, sautè the diced onion for 5 minutes in a couple of tablespoons of olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and then add in the diced leeks and cook to soften. Next add the grated garlic and mushrooms cook for a further 10-15 minutes until cooked through.
Step 3: Stir through the rice. (If you want to add white wine add it now) Pour in a ladle of stock, stir gently and once all the liquid has been absorbed, pour in another ladle and repeat until the rice is al dente, or cooked to your liking. Continue stirring the rice so the starch is released and it becomes creamy.
Step 4: Stir through the nutritional yeast, butter, grate in some firm cheese and finish with lemon juice. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
Serve with fresh chopped parsley, black cracked pepper and a good extra virgin olive oil.
We are spoiled for choice with all the gorgeous produce and products from the farm and our fantastic organic suppliers. We added lots of amazing Irish vegetables to our sweet bakes this year, beetroot, carrots, courgettes, butternut squash and heaps of fruit too strawberries, blueberries, blood oranges and apples to name a few.
Here are 5 of our favourite recipes. We hope you give them a try.
Lou 🙂
Tap the recipes below to take you to the full recipe:
