Apple & Frangipane Tart

by Lou Robbie

We love baking with sweet organic Irish eating apples. And this simple tart is just fabulous and easy and incredibly tasty and it will feed a crowd just add cream or ice cream. Ready rolled puff pastry is very handy to use and gives a crispy base that goes so well with the almond frangipane layer with thinly sliced apples on top.

This tart gives a thin layer of frangipane if you like lots, then double the ingredients below.

We’d love to hear from you, will you try it? Let us know in the comments below.

Lou

Ingredients: makes 15 slices

  • 1 sheet of fresh ready rolled puff pastry, 375g approx
  • 3 eating apples (400g)
  • 1 tablespoon butter, melted
  • 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
  • For the frangipane:
  • 50g butter, softened
  • 45g caster sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 60g ground almonds/almond flour
  • 1 tablespoon plain flour

Method:

Step 1: Preheat the oven 180ºC. Then start by making the frangipane. Beat the soft butter with the caster sugar, then beat in the egg. Use an electric hand mixer if you have one or a wooden spoon will do. Then fold in the ground almonds, plain flour and vanilla extract. Put the bowl in the fridge to chill.

Step 2: Meanwhile, peel, core and finely slice the apples into a half moon shape.

Step 3: Unroll the pastry and lay it on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Lightly score a 1.5 cm frame around the pastry. The spread the frangipane mix evenly inside the frame. Lay the apple pieces in lines on top. Brush with the melted butter and scatter the brown sugar on top.

Step 4: Bake for 45-50 minutes, until the pastry is crisp and golden. Cool then dust with icing sugar and serve.

Easy Red Lentil Dahl with Greens

by Lou Robbie

This is a super economical dish that is nutritious, tasty and so easy to make. A great tip, I learned from a great chef, is to cook the lentils in a separate pot, strain and add them to the cooked curried sauce. This way the lentils cook quickly and evenly. More details in the recipe below.

We’d love you to try our easy basic dahl recipe and roast up some seasonal veg to add to it. You could add roasted carrots, parsnips, celeriac, beetroot, chard, spinach basically anything you fancy. We’ve used gorgeous iron rich broccoli and kale fresh from our farm.

Enjoy,

Lou 🙂

Ingredients: serves 4-5

  • For the lentils:
  • 1.5 tablespoons oil
  • 350g red split lentils
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp salt
  • For the sauce: 
  • 1 onion, finely dices
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely grated
  • 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, finely grated
  • 1 tsp garam masala 
  • 1/2 tsp chilli flakes – more if you like it hot
  • 2 tsp curry powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 bay leaf 
  • 1 teaspoon brown sugar
  • 1 tin chopped tomatoes (400g)
  • Added veg: 
  • 1 small head broccoli, chopped
  • 100g kale, finely chopped
  • To serve: lemon, yoghurt and chopped coriander

Method:

Step 1: Begin by cooking the lentils. Add them to a pot, rinse with cold water a few times to remove and dirt, discard the water. Then cover with fresh water add the turmeric and salt. Bring to a simmer on the hob and cook for about 20 minutes or until the lentils are completely soft. Stir a few times while they cook. Then strain and set aside.

Step 2: While the lentils cook start the sauce. Add the oil to a wide pot along with the onions, garlic and ginger, cook on low for 5-10 minutes until the onions are soft, put a lid on if you have one. Then tip in the spices, the curry powder, garam masala, chilli flakes, salt, bay leaf and brown sugar. Stir to coat and toast for a few minutes.

Step 3: Pour in the tinned tomatoes, add some water to the tin and swirl it into the pot and let the sauce cook on low for 10 minutes. Then add the cooked lentils stir and cook for a further 10 minutes.

Step 4: While the sauce cooks make chop the broccoli and roast it in the oven at 170ºc for 15 minutes or air fry 170ºc for 15 minutes. Finely chop the kale.

Step 5: When the dahl is cooked taste it, add more salt and pepper if needed. Stir in the roasted broccoli and chopped kale.

Homemade Roast Tomato Sauce – Preserve for the winter

by Lou Robbie

Need an incredible tomato sauce? Just 4 ingredients needed for this deep, sweet, intense sauce. We grow the sweetest cherry tomatoes in the summertime. During peak season the vines are heaving with juicy fruit just waiting to be picked, packed and delivered to homes all over Ireland. And while we can’t grow them in the colder Irish months we can find ways to preserve them just like this simple recipe that only requires a few ingredients.

The joy of pulling your own organic tomato sauce from the freezer is truly satisfying. And the sweetness remains to add to your stews, soups and sauces all through the winter.

This recipe could not be easier, we hope you try it.

Lou 🙂

Ingredients: makes 1kg of sauce (1 big jar or 4 small jars)

Method:

Step 1: Preheat the oven 200ºC. Have 2 large baking trays ready to go.

Step 2: Wash the cherry tomatoes and discard the green stems. cut in half, place them on the trays cut side up.

Step 3: Drizzle with a small bit of oil, and season lightly with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for about 45 minutes, until they are soft and char around the edges.

Step 4: Scoop into a blender and blend until the desired consistency. Keep it chunky or smooth if you prefer.

Step 5: While warm pour into freezer safe jars or containers. Date and label for the freezer.

Defrost your preserved homemade organic roast tomato sauce in the winter months, when fresh ones are not available. Use it for soups, sauces, stews and more.

Smashed “New Season” Potatoes w/ Quick Kale Pesto

by Lou Robbie

Crispy, crunchy and so moorish!!

Smashed potatoes were a huge viral hit recently and we were just dying to try it out with our delicious new potatoes. Needless to say they did not disappoint, they turned out so wonderfully golden and crispy right round the jagged edges. They are amazing to eat as they are but we thought we’d whip up a quick pesto to celebrate our spuds even more!

Grab the kale in your veg box for this tasty pesto. Blend it and taste it and add extra salt and lemon juice if needed.

Lou 🙂

Ingredients: Serves 2

For the potatoes:

  • 1 kg new season potatoes, washed (this works best with small waxy potatoes)
  • oil, salt and pepper

Kale pesto:

  • 100g kale, 2 cups – finely chopped
  • 15g basil ½ cup, finely chopped
  • 50g chopped cashews 
  • juice of 1/2 a lemon or lime
  • pinch salt and pepper
  • 200ml olive oil, more if needed
  • 50 ml water

Method:

  • Step 1: Wash the potatoes but no need to peel them. Steam or boil them for roughly 30 minutes, until they are cooked through. Let them cool for 15 minutes.
  • Step 2: Preheat the oven 200ºC, line a large baking tray with parchment paper (or 2 smaller trays) Once cooled place one potato on the baking tray, use a shape knife to mark an X on top. Then use a glass with a wide flat bottom and push down on the potato to smash it. Carefully lift the glass off. Repeat with the other potatoes.
  • Step 3: Drizzle with oil, salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 30-40 minutes, until golden and crisp around the edges.
  • Step 4: In the meantime add all the pesto ingredients to a powerful blender. Blend until combined, if it’s very thick add more oil. Taste and add more salt if needed.
  • Step 5: Dip the smashed potatoes in the pesto, enjoy!!

5 “Back to School” Handy Wholesome Dinners

by Lou Robbie

Back to school and back to busy schedules for the whole house! September can be a great time to reset your eating habits, its a bit like new year. We love to pull out the recipe books and plan some wholesome hearty meals, using lots of vegetables from the farm, to make September run smoothly and enjoy the cosy autumn evenings.

We’ve put 5 of our favourite recipes together for you. Most of them just need one pot and some need an extra one for the rice or pasta, so minimal fuss. The vegetables from the farm make each dish sing, cauliflower, courgettes, cherry tomatoes, squash, spuds and kale. Theres something for everyone.

We like to get back to having family meals together in the evening, talking about the school day, new friends, new subjects and all the time taking enjoyment in the food we eat.

We hope you enjoy these recipes, please let us know if you try them in the comments below.

Lou 🙂

Click on the recipe below to bring you to each recipe:

  1. 3 Bean Chilli – slow cooker

2. Veggie Thai Green Curry – slow cooker

3. Creamy Courgette Orzo Pasta– one pot

4. Cauliflower & Potato Satay Curry – one pot

5. Cherry Tomato Pasta – quick meal

5 “Back to School” Lunchbox Snacks

by Lou Robbie

The summer months seem to fly by in a flash! The kids will be back to school really soon and that means the return of the lunch boxes too! We will be making lots of yummy homemade snacks to help fill them. We love using wholesome organic ingredients to keep little tummies fuller for longer and help add some much needed nutrition for their growing bodies and minds.

Theres a few reasons why love to make homemade snacks for the lunchbox. They are cheaper to make than buying pre-made shop bought snacks. We know exactly whats gone into them, we can make them mostly organic and they are not individually wrapped in plastic. We can get our kids to help make them and thats pretty special too!

Here’s 5 recipes for you to save and try. They include healthy oats, dates, seeds, fruit and veggies, our online shop stocks most of the ingredients you need. We hope you give them a go, please let us know if you do, we love to hear from you.

Lou 🙂

Just click on the link below to bring you to each recipe:

  1. Blueberry Crumble Bars
  2. Energy Balls – Nut Free
  3. Carrot Cake Bliss Balls – swap the walnuts or pumpkin or sunflower seeds to make them nut free
  4. Sugar Free Flapjacks
  5. Carrot & Courgette Muffins

Chocolate & Coconut Milk – 3 ways

by Lou Robbie

This is a wonderful recipe. It can be dairy free, vegan, gf and its so simple and delicious. You can enjoy it in 3 different ways, hot to drink, cold to eat or whipped to decorate a cake or cupcake.

My kids love hot chocolate so we had our first batch warm with marshmallows and sweet waffle soldiers for dipping. The second batch was made into a set mousse and some was whipped and used as a delicious icing for our chocolate cupcakes.

We have some fabulous organic products that make this recipe extra special such as Amaizin Coconut Milk and Happy Chocolate, check them out in the shop.

Which way will be your favourite? Let us know in the comments.

Lou 🙂

Ingredients: makes 2 hot chocolates or 2 small mousses or frosting for 4 buns

Method:

Step 1: Open the tin of coconut milk and scoop out the thick creamy part put it in a small pot, use the liquid for smoothies and to thin out the hot chocolate.

Step 2: Chop the chocolate and add it to the pot too along with the maple syrup. Gently heat on the lowest setting until the mix is melted and silky smooth. Sprinkle in the sea salt and stir. 

Step 3: Decide how you want to serve it: Hot/Chilled/Frosting

For the hot chocolate, if its a bit thick thin with the coconut liquid, whisk well and pour into mugs and serve straight away.

For the mousse let the mix cool and pour into glasses or mugs. Cool completely and chill in the fridge for at 2 hours. Serve with fresh seasonal berries.

For the frosting, let the mix cool and set just like the mousse. Then whip it with an electric beater to loosen and smooth onto a cake or cupcake. If it is hard to spread, dip a pallet knife in boiling water, dry it off and smooth on the frosting.

Simple Grilled Red Pepper & Feta Dressing w/ Chopped Salad

by Lou Robbie

This a great recipe when you have odds and ends to use up. I did a raid on the salad drawer this morning. I had peppers, a cucumber from my friend’s garden, cherry tomatoes from the Green Earth Organics poly tunnel, baby leaves, all so fresh and delicious all that was needed was a quick dressing.

Jars of organic grilled peppers are so handy for a quick addition to any dish. They are soft and sweet and stored in sunflower oil. Simply whizzed up with a feta and a few spices they make a perfect dressing or dip if you make it thicker by adding more feta.

Add your favourite toasted nuts or seeds for some extra goodness.

Lou 🙂

Ingredients: makes a jar of dressing, salad serves 2

  • For the dressing: 
  • 100g feta, add more if you like a thicker dressing
  • 1 jar of red peppers grilled in sunflower oil (190g)
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
  • Juice ¼ lemon 
  • ½ teaspoon chilli flakes
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • For the chopped salad:
  • 6 chopped cherry tomatoes, quartered
  • 3 inches cucumber, diced 
  • ½ yellow pepper chopped 
  • 1 tin black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 2 handful lettuce leaves, washed
  • ½ cup pecans, toasted 

Method:

Step 1: Make the dressing, to a powerful blender, add the jar of red peppers, feta, honey, lemon juice, chilli flakes and paprika. Blend until smooth. We used a Ninja smoothie blender. 

Step 2: Wash and chop the tomatoes, cucumber, and yellow pepper. Toast the pecans in the oven or air fryer at 170ºC for about minutes. 

Step 3: Build the salad, add the tomatoes, cucumber, pepper, lettuce leaves and black beans to a large plate or bowl. Drizzle over the dressing, toss to coat and scatter the pecans on top. 

You can serve the dressing on the side if you prefer. 

Easy Veggie Thai Green Curry – Slow Cooker

by Lou Robbie

Needing easy dinner inspiration? This dish is as easy as chucking everything in a pot and leaving it to do all the hard work while you get on with your day. Dicing the spuds is the only taxing bit, we’ve scrubbed off the dirt and left the skins on for more fibre and nutrition and it cuts down on the work too. We love a Thai green curry and this packet of organic paste is great to add in, its got bags of flavour.

Curries are great because you can add in whatever is in season, carrots, squash, courgettes, spinach and aubergines would work perfectly in here too.

We love our own Galway grown spuds and kale, so delicious in this curry, try them yourself and see.

Lou 🙂

Ingredients: Serves 4 with rice

  • 1 tin chickpeas, drained – use the liquid for aqua faba recipes 
  • 750g potatoes, washed & diced, 2cm
  • 2 tablespoons Thai green curry paste
  • 1 heaped tablespoon curry powder – mild or hot
  • 1 tin (400g) coconut milk
  • ½ tin of water
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • Add near the end – 2 handfuls of chopped kale
  • A squeeze of 1/2 lime
  • Serve with: Boiled rice and naan bread

Method:

Step 1: To the slow cooker add the drained chickpeas, diced potatoes, Thai curry paste, curry powder, coconut milk, water, salt and pepper, mix well with a spoon.

Step 2: Cook on high for 3 hours or low for 6/7 hours. 

Step 3: Just 5 minutes before the end add the chopped kale.  Squeeze in some fresh lime if you have it.

Step 4: Serve with rice and naan bread. 

NB: If you don’t have a slow cooker you can simmer this curry in a pot on the hob for about 1 hour, on in a cast iron pot with a lid in the oven, 180ºC for 1 hour.

Lavender Shortbread Biscuits – Vegan version

by Lou Robbie

Beautiful calming lavender, the scent is so distinctive, even the bees can’t resist it. I have a huge lavender bush in my small front garden. It has grown so much in the last 3 years. I just love how natural it is and how much the bees adore it. This is my first time baking with its pretty purple buds and it won’t be my last.

These shortbread biscuits are delicious, yes they taste floral but thats the point. If you are not swayed by the lavender just use the zest of a full lemon or orange in its place.

We hope you try them, they are the perfect tea time sweet treat. Browse our baking aisle for the organic dry ingredients.

Lou 🙂

Ingredients: Makes 18

  • 175g soft vegan butter
  • 2 tbsp fresh, unsprayed, finely chopped lavender flowers (pick them off the stems to measure)
  • 100g caster sugar
  • 250g plain flour
  • Sprinkle of brown sugar

Method:

Step 1: Line an 8in x 8in baking tin with parchment paper. 

Step 2: Beat the butter and lavender together first to get the best flavour from the lavender. Beat in the sugar then mix in the flour to form a dough ball. 

Step 3: Gently press the dough into the prepared tin, use an extra square of parchment paper to smooth out the dough with your hands, get it right into the corners.  Remove the extra parchment paper and discard.

Step 4: Use a butter knife to mark the dough into 18 biscuits, cutting right to the bottom of the tin, see the photos.  Prick with a fork and sprinkle with brown sugar. Put the tin in the fridge to firm up for 1 hour. 

Step 5: Preheat the oven 170ºC. Bake the shortbread for 20-25 minutes until pale brown.

Let them cool completely then cut again along the lines to separate and enjoy with big mugs of tea.