Vegan Wellington – Christmas Centrepiece

by Lou Robbie

Every Christmas dinner needs a centrepiece and this is a delicious one. Organic butternut squash with mushrooms, herbs and nuts tastes delicious wrapped in crispy puff pastry with all the usual side vegetables.

You can make this ahead of time and keep it wrapped on a tray in the fridge for 3 days. If you fancy making your own gravy check out our recipe Groovy Gravy.

Save the recipe to try this Christmas.

Lou 🙂

Ingredients

  • 2 pack of ready rolled puff pastry – most are vegan (375g per pack)
  • 1 butternut squash – 500g approx, peeled and diced
  • 1 pack chestnut mushrooms, 250g, diced
  • 1 onion, finely diced
  • 1 small leek , cleaned and finely diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon sage, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • 1 cup chopped nuts – walnuts/hazelnuts/almonds/cashews/pecans
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 80g breadcrumbs

Method:

Step 1: Preheat the oven 180ºC, line 2 trays with parchment paper. Take the puff pastry out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature. Put the diced squash on one tray, drizzle with oil, salt and pepper and roast until soft, 30-40 minutes.

Step 2: Warm a frying pan on a medium heat, add a tablespoon of oil and the chopped onion, cook to soften for 5-10 minutes. Next add the garlic, leeks, some salt and pepper cook for a further 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook them fully for 15 minutes. Once cooked add in the sage, parsley, chopped nuts, soy sauce, maple syrup, stir to coat.

Step 3: When the squash is cooked add it to the pot with the cooked mushroom and mash with a fork or potato masher. Pour in the breadcrumbs and stir well. Set aside to cool.

Step 4: Unroll both packets of pastry lay one on the second baking tray. Spoon the squash and mushroom filling into the middle of the pastry and make a long sausage shape mound. Mould it with your hands so its compact. Lay the second piece of pastry on top. Cut away the extra pastry (use it for something else) seal the edges with a fork, score a diamond shape on the top. Brush with milk or egg-wash.

Step 5: Bake in the oven 180ºC for 1 hour 20, until golden brown and cooked through.

Fennel and Cumin Hasselback Carrots

by Lou Robbie

The old reliable carrot is an annual hero on the vegetable charts! You’ll find it in soups and stews in the colder months but is given a jazz up in this tasty recipe.

Hasselback originated in a restaurant in Sweden where a potato was sliced multiple times but kept intact then seasoned, oiled and roasted. We’ve added some spice to our Irish organic carrot version and slowly roasted them and they are sweet and soft and flavoursome.

Serve as a starter with crumbled cheese and nuts or on the side with your veggie main course.

Enjoy,

Lou

Ingredients:

  • 5 medium carrots
  • 2 tsp ground cumin,
  • 2 tsp fennel seeds, gently crushed
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp honey or maple syrup
  • 50g feta or goats cheese, crumbled
  • a handful of chopped walnuts

Method

  • Step 1: Preheat the oven to 180°C. Peel the carrots and cut into 10cm lengths. Carefully cut small widthways slits into each carrot length, stopping three-quarters of the way down. Continue along the length of the carrot to achieve a hasselback effect. Tip: if you have chop sticks put them on either side of the carrot to help prevent cutting through.
  • Step 2: Put the fennel in a pestle and mortar if you have one and gently crush. Add the ground cumin, honey, oil, salt and stir. Pour the spiced mix over the carrots and coat each piece. Place on a baking tray and cook in the oven for30-40 minutes, until cooked through and golden.
  • Step 3: Serve warm with crumbled feta and chopped walnuts.

Chocolate & Courgette Loaf Cake

by Lou Robbie

Baking with vegetables fills us with joy. Courgette is a great vegetable to bake with and paired with chocolate it works very well. My kids ate big slices and didn’t notice the green vegetable….I said nothing just incase.

We added cane sugar that is a healthier option over refined white sugar, or you could add coconut sugar too if you like. Our courgette season has come to an end but you can still get the best courgettes from our organic grower in Spain.

This is a delicious chocolatey moist cake we hope you try it.

Lou 🙂

Ingredients:

For the cake

  • 170 g self raising flour
  • 120g cane sugar – sugar or coconut sugar
  • ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 35 g cocoa powder
  • 200 g courgette grated, one large courgette
  • 100 g dark chocolate chopped
  • 3 eggs large
  • 100 ml vegetable oil
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 40 g natural yoghurt

For decoration (optional)

  • 35 g chocolate chips or chopped chocolate

Method:

  • Step 1: Pre-heat the oven to 180C and grease and line a loaf tin. I use a liner.
  • Step 2: In a large mixing bowl, stir together the self raising flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, cocoa powder and sugar until well combined
  • Step 3: Grate the courgette into the bowl along with the dark chocolate chips, stir everything together
  • Step 4: In another bowl or large jug, whisk together the eggs, vegetable oil, vanilla extract and yoghurt. Pour the egg mixture into the bowl of flour/courgette etc and stir everything together until well combined.
  • Step 5: Pour the mixture into the loaf tin, top with chocolate chips and bake for 1 hour, or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool fully
  • Store leftovers in an airtight container in a cool place and eat within 3 days

The EU has granted a further 10 years to Glyphosate…

by Kenneth Keavey

On Thursday 16th of November, The EU commission decided to extend the licence for the use of Glyphosate for a further 10 years.

Using chemicals to fight nature will never work. In the short term it may give a temporary reprieve from a certain disease or pest, but that pest will come back stronger and more resistant next time. It is in a way a self-perpetuating industry. It is not the way to produce food and IT IS CERTAINLY NOT OUR WAY.

I imagine that lobbying bodies and Bayer will be rubbing their hands together in glee at the thought of another ten years of sales.

In the meantime, you and I must be content with ingesting glyphosate in the food we eat.   A recent study showed that more than 80% of urine samples drawn from children and adults in a US contained glyphosate, a finding scientists have called “disturbing” and “concerning”.

Right here in Galway another analysis showed glyphosate was detectable in 26% of samples, AMPA the byproduct when glyphosate is broken down was detectable in 59% of samples. 

The Agri industry will stipulate that the chemical is safe and provide evidence to corroborate this, of course they design and pay for these studies, so the results generally will cast their products in a favourable light.

Aside from the obvious health related issues of continuously consuming a chemical we do not want in our food and the destruction of habitats and all the associated biodiversity, there is the key question of why, why use this stuff, we didn’t always need it so why now? There is the argument by the agroindustry that banning glyphosate would introduce a whole host of food production problems, including further increases in prices of food.

There is no denying that as with any major change a transition period would be necessary but as organic farmers have demonstrated the world over there are alternatives to the use of chemicals in our food system and these alternatives are better for our health and for biodiversity.

This year our work apart from one or two mishaps has kept pace with the weeds. But our approach to weed control is not one of total dominance, quite frequently once you get the crops to a certain size the weeds are no longer a problem.

In fact, they can provide a basis for a wide variety of life: flowering weeds that bees come to, the lush green undergrowth, a haven for a myriad of tiny creatures that would not be there otherwise.

Thus, in turn providing food for the birds, and at times, the necessary predators such as ladybirds and hoverflies that feed on aphids. A natural ecosystem living below the giant shading leaves of the broccoli plants or cabbages develop. Each plant brings something different to the fray and generally none are unwelcome.

Now please do not misunderstand me, if we did not take a pragmatic approach to weed control and utilise all the tools at our disposal there would be no crops, no food, and no farm. We have worked extremely hard to ensure the crops are healthy and weed control is part of the process. No, our approach is just different, less harsh and embraces the idea that yes, we can work with these other plants, and they too have a place on our farm.  

Organic agriculture is much more than saying no to the use of chemicals, it represents a holistic approach to working with nature, to our land and to our food. It means no chemicals, but it also means no artificial fertiliser, it means tree planting, it means hedge planting, it means allowing nature its place to thrive while also producing food. It means taking care of the soil and it means producing food that tastes fresh and good and crucially is good for us and for the environment.

Here’s to fresh organic chemical and glyphosate free food.

Kenneth

Amazing Leek & Bean Rolls

by Lou Robbie

Breakfast, lunch or dinner!! These leek and bean rolls are delicious any time of the day and would make amazing party food too! Leeks are one of my favourite vegetables cooked slowly they become so soft and sweet. The kidney beans bring the protein and bind really well with the spiced leeks. We’ve added flaked almonds for crunch and subtle flavour.

If you want to go full vegan brush with milk of your choice.

Let us know if you try them.

Lou 🙂

Ingredients: makes 8 rolls

  • I pack of ready rolled puff pastry(375g) – most are suitable for vegans
  • 1 tbsp oil
    2 small leeks, cleaned and diced finely
  • 3 gloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tbsp soya sauce
    2 tbsp chopped herby (thyme/rosemary) or dried herbs
  • 1 tin kidney beans 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 180ºC. Line a large baking tray with parchment paper. Leave the puff pastry out of fridge to come to room temperature. Clean the leeks by splitting in two and rinsing out any dirt, dry with clean cloth then finely dice them.

Step 2: Start by warming a frying pan on a medium heat, add the oil and chopped leeks. Cook for five or so minutes to soften. Add the chopped garlic and cook for a few minutes. Spoon in the tomato puree, maple syrup, soy sauce, cumin, paprika and chopped herbs or dried herbs. Stir to coat the leeks and cook for a further few minutes. Set aside to cool for a minute or two.

Step 3: To a food processor add the spiced leeks, drained kidney beans and flaked almonds. 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 bean 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. 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.

Organic Blueberry Scones

by Lou Robbie

November is a great time to pull out traditional baking recipes. Homemade scones are delicious baked fresh and with the addition of organic fruit they are taken to the next level. Mix antioxidant rich organic blueberries gently into the dough, when baked they become oozy and almost self jamming in the scone.

Scones are one of those bakes that are made to be shared over steamy cups of tea. We hope you find a friend to share these with some time soon.

Lou x

PS – add a grating of orange or lemon zest to the dough if you fancy.

Ingredients: Makes 8

  • 400g self raising flour (or plain flour with 2 heaped teaspoons baking powder mixed)
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 400g self raising flour (or plain flour with 2 heaped teaspoons baking powder mixed)
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 100g butter at room temperature
  • 2 eggs 
  • 170ml (do not add all the liquid at once, you may not need it)
  • 125g fresh blueberries
  • 1 egg beaten to glaze

Method:

Step 1: Preheat the oven 180ºC fan. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
Measure the flour and sugar into a mixing bowl, stir. Add the butter and rub it into the flour with our fingertips until it resembles sand. Stir in the blueberries.

Step 2: Crack the eggs into a measuring jug and pour in the milk. Whisk well.
Pour enough of the milk and egg liquid into the flour and stir with a fork until the dough starts to come together, you may not need all the liquid. Flour your hands lightly and work the dough into a round shape, being careful not to burst the blueberries. Turn it out onto the baking tray, and gently push down.

Step 3: Using a large knife dipped in flour, cut the dough round in half, then quarters and then eights. Pull the scones apart and spread them out on the baking tray. Tip: dipping the knife in flour will stop the dough from sticking.
Brush with the beaten egg.

Step 4: Bake for 20-25 minutes until cooked through.

The little things that run the world

by Kenneth Keavey

Kenneth ran a webinar for Green Schools Ireland on Our Food, Our Health, Our Planet this week, you can watch it below!

One in every three species of bee in Ireland is threatened with extinction and 75% of insect biomass has disappeared in the last 30 years.

I remember as a child driving on the very few motorways that were present in Ireland back then and the windscreen of our car being covered in insect splatters.  Sometimes it was so prevalent you could hardly see out, contrast that with a motorway journey by car today, you will hardly notice a splatter.

The decline in insect biomass is well documented and these small insects described by E.O Wilson, 1987 as “the little things that run the world”, (E.O. Wilson, 1987) seems to be as result of a myriad of reasons, from climate change to intensification of agriculture and the use of insecticides.

Last week I highlighted the 870 chemicals that were tested for in a sample of our organic kale, again to reiterate our kale came back completely clean and safe as you would expect on an organic farm (Again I wonder at the requirement of us an organic producer to have our food tested for chemicals….) , but the fact that they test for 870 chemicals suggests that it is possible that this number of chemicals is in circulation in conventional agriculture.

Bees are the poster child of the pollinator insects, and they are beautiful and amazing, and a conversation the other day with Gerry, who is the beekeeper looking after the bees on our farm just shows how special and fantastic, they are, he clearly loves and respects his bees. 

Standing in one of our fields during a summer’s evening when our three acres of clover and wildflowers were in full bloom the buzz of the bees was mesmerizing, they were busy and active, and it was amazing. But many of these bees were the solitary bumble bee and they come in all shapes and sizes. The Irish Bumblebee Monitoring Scheme shows population index declines of 14% over six years.

Early in the season all bees benefit from the amazing dandelion and also from the little flowers on sycamore and willow which provide so much food. Native pollinator-friendly trees include Hawthorn, Blackthorn, Willow, Rowan, Wild Cherry and Crab Apple, which also support other native Irish flora and fauna throughout the year. 

Another great reason to plant native trees and to protect the trees we have.

Biodiversity, this mix of plant and insect and animal live is a critical and interwoven system which we need to survive, anything we can do to create and protect habitats for all these living creatures will enhance our local biodiversity.

The groundbreaking All-Ireland Pollinator Plan has had such a positive impact on our perception and protection of biodiversity. It just goes to show you what can be accomplished when people come together for a common cause, or in the famous words of Margret Meade,

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

Our farm has forestry, and wild Irish native hedgerows, and wild flowers strips, and natural areas left to rewilding, and no chemicals, and of course we safe, clean organic produce food too.

Maybe just maybe we will get back to the days in the not-too-distant future when once again our car windscreens are covered in insects and the bees are thriving and happy.

Your support for our farm and business and farms like ours is a thumbs up for biodiversity, thank you.

Kenneth

PS Don’t forget our farm shop is open every Saturday 10am-5pm, H91F9C5 and of course that you can now book in your Christmas delivery for delivery on Christmas week!

Fudgy Beetroot Brownie

by Lou Robbie

Cooked beetroot is so versatile, delicious panfried with garlic or roasted with onions and a dash of balsamic vinegar. It is really good in sweet bakes and a firm favourite in my house is beetroot chocolate brownies!! This is a wonderful treat, chocolate and beetroot work so well together. Its a great way to celebrate our homegrown IRISH beetroots. Our beetroot season is coming to an end, but you’ll continue to get Irish beetroot from grower Philip Dreaper.

Make these bitter sweet beauties soon.

Lou 🙂

Ingredients: makes 9 squares

Method:

Tip: Steam, boil or roast raw beetroot with the skin on until cooked through. Peel and cool.

Step 1: Preheat the oven 170ºC. Line a 9in square baking tin with parchment paper.

Step 2: Melt the butter and chocolate together in the microwave or in a bowl over a pot of simmering water.

Step 3: Whisk in the sugar and eggs until thick and smooth. An electric hand mixer works best or a hand whisk wil do too.

Step 4: Sieve in the plain flour and cacao powder and whisk again to combine. Grate the cooked beetroot straight into the bowl, stir into the chocolate mix. Then pour into the baking tin. Bake for 22-25 minutes. The brownie should be slightly gooey in the middle. Leave to set and cool then slice and serve. Vanilla ice cream is aways a good paring!

Vegan Ragu w/ cauliflower, walnuts and mushrooms

by Lou Robbie

Deep, rich, nutty and full of flavour this vegan ragu ticks all the boxes! Half the vegetables are roasted and toasted and the other half is sautéed, until soft and sweet in a sauce. When it comes together it makes the perfect combination. My top tip is to add a few spoons of the pasta water to the ragu to make it silky enough to cling to the pasta.

Top with your favourite (vegan) hard cheese.

Divine,

Lou 🙂

Ingredients: serves 6

  • 1 small cauliflower (or half a big head)
  • 120g walnuts
  • 300g mushrooms
  • 1 onion, finely diced
  • 2 pieces celery, finely diced
  • 1 small leek, finely chopped (optional)
  • 5 tablespoon tomato puree
  • 1 tablespoon miso (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon paprika
  • 2 tablespoons chopped thyme & sage or dried herbs
  • 60ml balsamic vinegar
  • 500ml veg stock or water
  • salt to taste
  • pepper to taste
  • To serve cooked tagliatelle and vegan hard cheese

Method:

Step 1: Preheat the oven 200ºC, line a large baking tray with parchment paper. Chop the cauliflower into small florets, half the mushrooms. Blitz the cauliflower in a food processor first tip onto a baking tray, next add the mushrooms and then the walnuts. Pour all three onto a large baking tray, season with salt and drizzle with oil. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes until toasted, checking every 10 minutes.

Step 2: Warm a wide frying pan on a medium heat, add the oil, finely diced onion, celery and leek if using. Sauté for 5-10 minutes until soft. Add the tomato puree, miso paste, paprika, chopped herbs, stir to coat and cook for a minute or two season with salt and pepper. Pour in the balsamic vinegar and deglaze the pan. Add the ragu veg mix and stir, then pour in the veg stock or water. If the mix seems dry add a bit more water. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer for 20 minutes.

Step 3: Cook the pasta as per packet- keep the pasta water. If the sauce is a bit dry still add a couple of spoons of pasta water to loosen then toss through the pasta and serve with you favourite finely grated hard cheese.

Comfort Food- Lentil Pie with Celeriac Mash

by Lou Robbie

The clocks have gone back, the nights are drawing in and the air is crisp and cold, its time to amp up the comfort food. Warm spicy lentils topped with buttery celeriac and potato mash, just what you need to comfort the soul. Celeriac isn’t always an obvious root veg choice, you wont always find it in the supermarket, but we proudly grow it and it tastes delicious served this way. Plus it is great for you too, high in vitamin C and K!

What’s more this dish cooks in under 1 hour, will feed a crowd, it freezes and reheats really well.

Pop a celeriac in your online basket soon.

Lou 🙂

Ingredients: serves 6

  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 1 medium onion- finely diced
  • 3 cloves garlic- finely chopped
  • 2 small sweet potato (380g approx)- diced
  • 200g red lentils, washed and drained
  • 1 tin chopped tomatoes (400g)
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 heaped teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon chilli flakes
  • 1 heaped teaspoon cumin
  • 1 tablespoon thyme leaves
  • 1 tablespoon chopped sage
  • 500ml hot veg stock (or stock cube with water)
  • 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce (vegan)

For the mash:

  • 1 small celeriac 450g
  • 4 potatoes – 450g
  • 50g milk – of choice
  • 75g butter – of choice
  • salt & pepper

Method:

Step 1: Being with the mash. Peel and dice the celeriac and potato and steam until tender. Then mash with butter, milk, salt and pepper.

Step 2: While the celeriac and potatoes steam start the lentils. Warm a wide pot on a medium heat, add the onions and cook slowly to soften, 5-10 minutes, add the garlic, chilli, cumin, paprika, salt and pepper and cook for a further few minutes to toast the spices. Next add the diced sweet potato, stir to coat in the spices. Then add the thyme leaves, chopped sage, red lentils, chopped tomatoes and hot stock. Simmer on a low heat for about 30-40 minutes until the sweet potato is cooked through, stir occasionally to stop the lentils catching on the bottom of the pot. . Taste and stir in the worcestershire sauce. Keep the lentils in the same pot or transfer to a wide baking dish 25cm x 25cm approx.

Step 3: Turn on the grill. Top the cooked lentils with mash and use a fork to make a nice design. Grill the pie until the top is golden and crispy, then serve.