Crispy Parmesan Potatoes

by Lou Robbie

Boy do we love our potatoes. Nothing excites us more than finding new ways to cook them. This recipe is a must try before you die…lol!! Buttery, cheesy, big flavour from the garlic and aromatic from the hints of fresh rosemary. They are pretty special.

To get the flavour right to the centre score the potato with a crisscross this makes all the difference.

Our Irish grown Elland potatoes work great for these. We’ve made ours in the air fryer for speed and convenience but you could cook them in the oven too, they might take a bit longer.

What do you think? Will you try them?

Lou 🙂

Ingredients: serves 2 as a side

  • 5-6 small potatoes
  • 80g butter
  • 70g grated parmesan
  • 3 garlic cloves, crushed
  • pinch salt & pepper
  • 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped

Method:

  • Step 1: Air fryer method: Begin by washing and cutting the potatoes in half. Then with a small sharp knife score a crisscross on each half of the potato.
  • Step 2: Melt the butter in the microwave or small pot. Pour it into the air fryer basket toss in the crushed garlic cloves, add 1/2 of the grated parmesan and give it a stir. Place the potatoes cut side now on into the basket. Air fry at 200ºC for 20 minutes.
  • Step 3: Take out the garlic cloves and discard. using a spoon carefully turn the potatoes and season with salt and pepper, add the remaining parmesan and sprinkle over the chopped rosemary. Air fry for a further 10 minutes.
  • Oven method: Cook in a preheated oven at 200ºC but use a deep roasting tin. Follow the steps above, if the potatoes are still hard after the cooking time, leave them in the oven for a further 5-10 minutes.

Carrot Cake Bliss Balls

by Lou Robbie

Healthy wholesome sweet and tasty!! Indulge in these easy snacks over the summer holidays.

We were invited to an outdoor picnic last week and I was wracking my head thinking what to bring as a sweet treat. I made these and they went down really well. They are pre portioned, easy to box up and transport, bite sized, no messy fingers and taste top!

We have Irish organic carrots galore and all the ingredients for these tasty balls in stock.

Save them for your next picnic treat.

Lou 🙂

P.S. Let us know if you make them.

Ingredients: makes 15 approx

  • 225g Irish organic carrots grated – 4 small 
  • 75g walnuts
  • 1 cup rolled oats (80g)
  • 10 pitted dates chopped (soaked in hot water for 10 minutes help blend)
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • ½ tsp mixed spice (or nutmeg/ginger)
  • 2-4 tbsp hot water to blend- use 2 tbsp to start, you may need more depending on the liquid from the carrots 
  • To roll: 25g desiccated coconut or ground almonds as a substitute 

Method:

Step 1: To a blender add the grated carrots, walnuts, oats, chopped dates, cinnamon, mixed spice and 2 tbsp of hot water. The mix should be sticky, if its a bit dry add a small bit of water and blend again.

Step 2: Blend until you reach they desired consistency, plus for chunky or blend on high for smoother. Test it to see if it will roll into balls.

Step 3: Roll the balls in the coconut and put them on a tray or plate. Let them set in the fridge for 1 hour, then enjoy. They will keep in the fridge in a closed container for 3 days or in the freezer for longer.

Spicy Chickpea and Raw Veg Salad

by Lou Robbie

The best salads are those that have a combination of textures and flavours that pop in your mouth with every fork full. This salad was inspired by the veg in my rescue box and a tin of chickpeas in the cupboard. And I remembered to pluck some mint from the garden for a hint of minty freshness to finish.

We have shared recipes for roasted chickpeas numerous times. They are so quick and easy to make and they add excitement to the plate too.

So roast and toast some chickpeas with spice in the air fryer or oven, whiz up a garlicky dressing and chop your favourite raw veggies and add juicy tomatoes for sweetness and colour.

Just lovely.

Lou 🙂

Ingredients: makes 2 big salads

  • 1/2 cup quinoa
  • For the spicy chickpeas:
  • 1 tin of chickpeas, drained use the chickpea liquid for aquafaba
  • 1 heaped teaspoon of mixed chilli spice – like harissa or cajun spice, or a mix of cumin, chilli & paprika
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • salt and pepper
  • For the dressing:
  • 1/2 cup olive oil, or rapeseed oil
  • 1 clove garlic, crushed
  • lemon juice from 1/2 lemon
  • dash of maple syrup
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • For the raw veggies:
  • 200g cherry tomatoes (approx 18)
  • 1 stick celery
  • 1 small bulb of fennel
  • 1/2 head broccoli
  • Small bunch of mint leaves to serve, baby leaves or finely chopped

Method:

Step 1 – Roast the chickpeas, add the drained chickpeas to the airf ryer basket, sprinkle over some mixed chilli spice – like harissa or cajun spice, or a mix of cumin, chilli & paprika. Season with salt and pepper, drizzle with oil and Air fry 200ºC for 12 minutes. Or roast in the oven on a baking tray 200ºC for 20 minutes.

Step 2: Cook the quinoa in a small pot, add 1/2 cup of quinoa to 1 cup of boiling water simmer until cooked about 10 minutes, then strain.

Step 3: Make the dressing, to a small food processor add the oil, lemon juice, crushed garlic, maple, plus a small pinch of salt and pepper. Whiz until combined, pour into a jug.

Step 4: Quarter the cherry tomatoes and chop the fennel, celery and broccoli. I like mine finely chopped.

Step 5: Build the salad by adding each component to a salad bowl, drizzle over the dressing and mix. Scatter on some mint leaves, serve and enjoy.

Apple Puff Pastry Turnover

by Lou Robbie

These are a must try with delicious Irish apples. We are so lucky to have sweet organic apples all year round. So good to eat and nice to bake with too.

The puff pastry turnovers are so simple to put together, the sugar and cinnamon caramelise to give a crunchy caramel topping, once turned.

We promise you’ll love this one. Please let us know in the comments if you make it. Check out our sweet organic apples in the shop.

Lou 🙂

Ingredients:

  • 3 Irish apples
  • 45g white sugar
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 pack of ready rolled puff pastry – 375g
  • To serve:
  • toasted pecans
  • 250ml fresh cream – whipped
  • icing sugar

Method:

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.

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. Place the apple 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 pecans and cream or ice cream. Dust with icing sugar if you wish.

Summer Strawberry Pots

by Lou Robbie

Strawberry season is just the best in Ireland. There’s the smell of fresh cut grass in the air and the gentle hum of bumble bees busy and all the kids are out on their bikes making the most of the summer days. On warm days all everyone wants is cool fuss free snacks just like this one. They can be eaten out on the step so there isn’t a minute of fun to be missed!

We are treating these special Irish strawberries simply with sugar and lemon to draw out the delicious vibrant red syrup. Strawberries love vanilla so add a hint to the creamy base.

The window is short for our organic strawberries this year so get them while you can.

Lou 🙂

Ingredients: makes 2 pots

  • 10 ripe strawberries
  • 1 heaped teaspoon icing sugar
  • juice 1/2 lemon
  • 150g ricotta cheese
  • 100g greek/plain yoghurt
  • 1-2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
  • mint to garnish- baby leaves, finely chop them if they are big

Method:

  • Step 1: Finely slice the strawberries and add them to a bowl, sprinkle over the icing sugar and squeeze the lemon juice, mix with a spoon, leave to macerate for 10 minutes.
  • Macerating means that the sugar draws the juice, to make a syrup, from the strawberries while adding sweetness and flavour from the lemon.
  • Step 2: In a separate mixing bowl add the ricotta, yoghurt, honey and vanilla, mix well. Spoon this into the 2 glasses.
  • Step 3: Top with the macerated strawberries and top with torn or baby mint leaves.

PUNCHY SAMBO (chickpea spread & charred veg)

by Lou Robbie

This is the perfect summer sandwich that will keep you going on busy days! The punchy chickpea spread is exciting, so tasty and a nice change from hummus.

Organic roast veg are perfect sandwich fillers and are just the best when grilled, use the bbq if you like. If you don’t have a grill pan use a frying pan to get a few char marks, or stick them under the oven grill!

There are lots of different varieties of organic lettuce growing nicely in our tunnels right now (June) . Load them into the sandwich to add some fabulous farm freshness! We love Irish red and green lettuce or oak leaf. 

Lou 🙂

Ingredients: makes enough for 2 sandwiches

  • For the chickpea spread:
  • 1 tin chickpea drained, 200g
  • 1 pickled gherkin
  • 1 spring onion, chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 small bunch herbs, dill, chives or parsley, chopped
  • 1 tsp dijon mustard
  • 3 tbsp mayo – reg or vegan
  • 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • For the grilled veg:
  • 1 red pepper, chopped into 4 pieces
  • 1/2 courgette – 6 rings
  • oil to coat
  • For the sandwich:
  • 4 slices of organic sourdough
  • a couple of leaves of Irish green lettuce
  • chilli oil or râyu to finish optional

Method:

Step 1: To make the spread, add all the ingredients to a blender, blend to a chunky consistency. Taste and season to your liking.

Step 2: Put a griddle pan on the hob and get it searing hot. Lightly oil the courgette and peppers and put them onto the hot grill. Cook for a few minutes until they get the charred marks then turn over and cook on the other side, until soft. Add a small sprinkle of salt as they cook. (serve warm or at room temperature)

Step 3: Build the sandwich, toast the bread if you wish. Add the chickpea spread to both sides, layer on a couple of butterhead leaves, the roast veg and spoon over the chilli oil if using.

Carrot & Broccoli Salad (4 ingredients)

by Lou Robbie

The summer is a busy time juggling work, child care, holidays and making the most of the long sunny days. It’s great to have a few super quick salad recipes that take minutes to make but are top on taste!

This is my mothers signature salad. She gets requests for it when we have family get togethers. Its perfect for lunch with soda bread or for supper with some boiled eggs.

Next time you have some Irish organic carrots and broccoli in your veg box give this a go.

What’s your favourite raw vegetable in a salad? Let us know if the comments.

Lou 🙂

Ingredients:

  • 1 small head of broccoli
  • 3 carrots
  • 3-4 tablespoons mayo (regular or vegan)
  • ⅓ cup salted or roasted peanuts
  • Pinch black pepper

Method:

Step 1: Chop the broccoli florets into bite sized pieces, add them to a mixing bowl. You can chop or grate the stalk too, or keep it to chop for a stir fry.

Step 2: Grate the carrots, add them to the broccoli.

Step 3: Season with a pinch of salt and pepper then mix in the peanuts and mayo. Taste it and then transfer into a serving bowl.

Enjoy with a selection of salads and bread.

BBQ- Aubergine & Courgette Skewers

by Lou Robbie

Hot charred and smokey aubergines and courgettes, delicious for a bit of outdoor dining. The best thing about these skewers is that the pre cooked veggies get a coating of garlicky, spicy sweet tangy tomato sauce, that smell so good on the grill. Make sure to turn and char them for extra flavour.

You’ll have seen the veggie skewers with big lumps of aubergine and peppers and courgettes, it’s hard to get the flavour straight to the core, but with these it works a dream!

They are a bit fiddly so I’ve cooked them on a flat frying pan, so be careful on the BBQ. If you char them on the BBQ, pre-soak the wooden sticks in water for 30 minutes to prevent them burning.

Courgettes will be abundant on the farm come July/August so save this to try then too.

Lou 🙂

Ingredients:

  • 1 courgette
  • 1 aubergine
  • Oil, salt, pepper
  • For the sauce:
  • 2 tbsp tomato ketchup
  • 2 tbsp tomato puree
  • 1 tbsp light soy sauce 
  • 1 tbsp honey or maple syrup
  • juice of 1/2 a lime
  • 1 clove garlic, finely grated
  • ½ tsp chilli flakes
  • ½ tsp black pepper 
  • To serve:
  • 1-2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

Method:

  • Step 1: Preheat the oven to 180ºC. Line 2 baking trays with parchment paper.
  • Step 2: Slice the aubergine and courgette into fairly thin slices so they cook quickly and are easy to thread onto the skewers. Lay them on the baking trays, brush with cooking oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook the aubergine and courgette slices for 15-20 minutes until cooked through and soft. Let them cool for 10 minutes.
  • Step 3: While they cool make the sauce. Mix all the sauce ingredients together in a bowl.
  • Step 4: Thread one piece of aubergine and one piece of courgette onto the skewer. Lay on a baking tray and brush on the sauce.
  • Step 5: Heat a frying pan and cook the skewers on the hot pan to sear and char. Brush on more sauce as they cook, turn to cook on both sides.
  • Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve. Eat them off the skewer, have with salad or add to flatbreads with hummus and enjoy as a sandwich.

Green Cashew Dressing & Cous Cous Salad

by Lou Robbie

This is one of my all time favourite dressings. It is so vibrant and punchy and creamy from the cashews. I ordered a head of Irish red lettuce last week and have been living off it for the last 5 days (it was massive and gorgeous). And I remembered this dressing, I shared a version of it with you last summer. Its just the best and makes enough to last a few days.

Couscous is so quick and handy here but you could add leftover rice, pasta, tinned lentils or beans instead. As well as adding grated carrot, shaved red onion or any leftover cooked veggies that need using up.

Let us know if you try it,

Team GREEN yay!

Lou 🙂

Note: If you love garlic add extra cloves- I usually do.

Ingredients: makes 2 large salads

Method:

Step 1: Begin by making the cous cous. Add the dried cous cous to bowl, add a pinch of salt and top with boiling water. Cover the bowl with a plate and leave it for 15 minutes.

Step 2: Put the cashews into a bowl and cover with boiling water, leave to soften for 15 minutes. if your blender is not very powerful, soak for a full hour.

Step 3: Toast a handful of almonds on a dry frying pan on a low heat, toss ever minute until toasted. Once cooled, roughly chop them.

Step 3: Make the dressing, to a blender add the basil, spinach, the softened cashews plus the water, lemon juice, oil, grated garlic and a good pinch salt, pepper. blend until nice and smooth.

Step 4: Dice the tomatoes and cucumber. Fluff up the cous cous with a fork.

Step 5: Build the salad add the cous cous to a plate, top with lettuce, tomato and cucumber, pour over the dressing and scatter the almonds on top.

Mix and enjoy

Cottage Cheese Banana & Choc Ice Cream (4 ingredients)

by Lou Robbie

High in protein cottage cheese banana and chocolate chip ice cream is worth trying!! It tastes tangy but sweet and tasty. We added some optional peanut butter and salted peanuts for extra crunch, saltiness and goodness.

When the weathers hot it’s great to get some goodness from our ice cream. We stock fair trade organic bananas and delicious dark chocolate that are perfect partners in this handy to make ice cream.

Both my kids tucked in.

Let us know if you try it.

Lou 🙂

Ingredient: makes 2 portions

  • 300g cottage cheese
  • 1 ripe banana
  • ¼ cup maple/honey
  • 40g chopped chocolate 
  • optional extras: peanut butter and chopped peanuts

Method:

  • Step 1: Chop the chocolate roughly into shards.
  • Step 2: Add the cottage cheese, banana, maple to a blender. Blend until silky smooth.
  • Step 3: Pour into a container/lunchbox and stir in the chopped chocolate. Cover with a lid and freeze for about 3-4 hours until set.
  • Step 4: Remove from the freezer and let thaw for 15 minutes. Scoop into bowls, top with peanut butter and peanuts if you like, and enjoy.
  • **It will be a bit icy in parts just mix it with a spoon.