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.

Have I gone too far this time?

by Kenneth Keavey

Are we promised rain? I went to that place this week, I said the unsayable, “We need rain”.  There is always the fear here, that once the rain comes it will never leave, and to be fair we have had plenty of experiences with rain never leaving. 

We have been out with our water tanker this week as many of our crops are stunted. Broccoli, kale, celery, cabbage and more are stunted they need water.  It is not close to the major drought of 2018 when we had to dig down 18 inches to find moisture, but it is starting to be a problem.

These extended periods of dry weather are amazing the blue sky does us all a world of good, but 3-4 weeks without rain, that is unusual, or is it? It seems to me that these extended dry spells followed or proceeded by intense rain are not so unusual anymore. Since 2018 we have had more and more weeks of intense dry or drought conditions than I remember in the prior ten years.

Right now, our farm more resembles a farm in southern France or Spain, dusty dry and stunted.

The climate is warming, it is undeniable, man-made greenhouse gases are responsible. Weather patterns are changing rapidly. 

It’s hard to grasp the magnitude of climate change, we don’t see the glaciers or the ice caps melting, the wild-fires in Europe last year or those in Canada right not are removed from our comfortable corner of the world.  

Our direct experience of climate change is relatively benign, but that too is changing. Earlier this year the lack of tomatoes and peppers due to extreme weather, affected us, but it was more of a minor irritation that a real problem. But what happens when these climate stresses increase, and they start to affect our food production?

We have such potential for diversification in our food production here and yet the market is undermining our horticultural industry at a time when it couldn’t be more important to support it. 

It may be selfish, but we need to be able to grow our food and we need to support local food growers. One critical way to reduce our burden on this planet is to think mindfully about what we eat, and where and how it was grown. Eat more plants, locally and organically grown.

We can only do what we can do. We can only do what we have the time energy and money to do. But how we spend that time, energy and money makes a huge difference for the better.  Our business was started to guarantee that what comes to your door in one of our boxes has as far as we can control, been grown or produced, ethically, sustainably, and organically. We don’t always get it right, but those principles are one thing WE WILL NEVER COMPROMISE ON.

Thank you to everybody who responded to our post and e-mail last week. The number of responses and the level of support was amazing, uplifting and encouraging and made a difference so thank you, I read them all and if you have any thoughts on the above again we would love to hear them.

Thank you for your support.

Kenneth

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.

Recipe Roundup – Salads

by Simone Kelly

With the lovely warm weather we’re currently having, it most definitely is salad season. Quick, easy and healthy, as a side or as a main course – you’ll definitely want to try these!

Click on the bold part to go straight to the recipe.

Enjoy the sunshine!

NO BAKE – Caramel Bars

by Lou Robbie

These bars are a real treat made with no refined sugar and made mostly with good stuff! Top with vegan chocolate if you wish them to be dairy free.

The date caramel is so creamy and delicious you wont believe how good it tastes!

These will be a firm favourite in our house from now on. If you try them please let us know in the comments.

As always we supply all the ingredients just head to groceries.

Lou 🙂

Ingredients:

For the caramel:

  • 200g pitted dates
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil
  • 1 tablespoon nut butter – peanut/almond/cashew
  • 4 tablespoons maple syrup or honey
  • 3-4 tablespoons boiling water

For the base :

Top:

Method:

Step 1: Line a loaf tin with parchment paper, or a similar sized lunchbox will work too.

Step 2: Make the caramel: Add all the ingredients to a powerful blender. Blend until smooth. Take out 3/4 of the caramel and put it in a bowl and add in the base ingredients.

Step 3: Make the base: to the blender with 1/4 of the caramel add the oats, cocoa powder, coconut oil and boiling water. Blend until combined.

Step 4: Spoon the base mix into the loaf tin, smooth with a spoon or spatula. Top with the caramel and smooth. Put this in the fridge for 1 hour to set.

Step 5: Melt the chocolate and coconut oil together. Pour over the top and tilt the tin to cover, sprinkle with sea salt. Chill for 30 minutes. Slice into bars and enjoy.

Interesting piece on Countrywide last week…..

by Kenneth Keavey

There was an interesting piece on Countrywide last week documenting the demise of our indigenous vegetable growing industry.  All the interviewed vegetable growers told the same story, loss leading and chasing the cheapest possible produce by supermarkets is destroying our industry. In some cases, refusing a very basic increase of a few cents to ensure survival of some of Ireland’s vegetable farms.

We have been led to believe that carrots at €.49 or broccoli at €.79 is the norm, or Brussel sprouts for €.05! This is loss leading as it is impossible to produce crops for these prices. The market will always chase the cheapest option, always, using cheap import pricing as a barometer to value locally grown food. 

Not only are our food growers closing doors, so too are smaller independent retailers who haven’t the scale and cannot compete with supermarket pricing.  

What happens when this short-term approach to food supply eventually leads to the last vegetable farms and independent retailers closing their doors. Where then will our food come from when there is a climate shock, as there was in Spain earlier this year.  Where then will supermarkets look to supply our food?  Where is the long-term vision and the commitment to sustainability in this food sourcing strategy? 

Here’s another interesting fact about retailing in Ireland: ‘the restrictive practices order 1987 prohibits the sale of grocery products at below net invoice price’ but this law does not include fresh produce! It is deemed permissible to allow loss leading on all things fresh, and that includes you may be surprised to learn not only fruit and vegetables, but also milk, meat, and fish.

Setting a basic requirement to sell fresh food at fair prices would level the playing field would allow a more measured amount of the sale price to go to the farmer and give independent retailers a fighting chance.

An IFA commissioned economics report published last March, stated that retail prices compression threatens the viability of Irish horticulture which could lead to even more reliance on imports to feed our nation. 

The most recent national field vegetable census showed that the number of field vegetable growers fell from 377 in 1999 to 165 in 2014. That is a contraction of 56% These skills are lost for ever, and once they are gone are difficult to replace.

I for one am grateful for our own farm and the farmers that supply us, we aim to pay fairly for the food we produce and buy, we price our produce as competitively as we can, and we feel by removing the middleman we are able to reasonably compete with the big supermarkets. But not if they continue to sell produce for below the cost of production.

We are lucky and thankful to have our own farm and also to have a network of great Irish organic farmers that we source our food from.  We can’t wait to be harvesting more of our own produce and receiving the amazing produce from our other Irish suppliers and you can see all the IRISH produce we currently have here. 

Please remember your purchase with us makes a massive difference, thank you for your continued support.

Kenneth

Crispy Black Bean Tacos

by Lou Robbie

Tacos are on trend at the moment, you can add just about anything in there but its hard to beat spicy smashed black beans. They’ve got to be crispy so give them a good fry and serve up with your favourite taco sides.

We are big fans of Mexican style food in our house its great family food to share and dip and mix and match. Add fresh salsa, guacamole, cheese and jalapeños.

Find all the orgainc beans and spices you need in our groceries.

Lou 🙂

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 1 onion, finely diced
  • 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp chilli flakes
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp dried herbs
  • 1 tablespoon tomato puree
  • 1/2 cup water
  • salt to taste
  • 1 tin (400g) black beans, drained
  • 100g grated cheddar cheese
  • 6 small tortilla wraps (wheat or corn)
  • 1 lime, cut into quarters
  • smashed avocado and fresh coriander to serve

Method:

Step 1: Make the spicy smashed beans. Add the oil to a warm frying pan along with the onions and garlic. Gently cook to soften. Add the chilli, cumin, paprika, dried herbs, a pinch of salt and tomato puree. Cook for 3-5 minutes.

Step 2: Tip in the beans, stir to coat in the spices pour in the water and simmer for 5-10 minutes until the beans cook down, add a squeeze of lime. Mash with a fork or a potato masher, transfer to a bowl and clean the frying pan.

Step 3: Spoon the mashed beans onto the tortilla wrap, add cheese and fold over. Heat the frying pan, add oil and fry the taco on both sides until golden and crispy. Push down with a weight or small pot to get better contact with the pan, flip and fry on the other side until crispy. Repeat.

Step 4: Serve hot with smashed avocado, fresh coriander and lime.

3 Ingredient Almond Cookies

by Lou Robbie

Quick, dairy free, vegan, gluten free, refined sugar free, kid approved, only 3 ingredients and very tasty! You need to try these cookies.

My kids are alway hungry and I like to have snacks on hand that have a bit of goodness in them. Almonds are a superfood and while my kids wont eat whole almonds they will happy munch on these cookies instead.

They may not look perfect but for a quick bake they hit the spot. They are crispy on the outside soft in the middle. If you’re feeling extra fancy drizzle some melted chocolate on top.

Will you try them?

Lou 🙂

Ingredients: makes 10 small cookies

Method:

  • Step 1: Preheat the oven 170ºC. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
  • Step 2: Melt the coconut oil in the microwave or in a small pot and stir in the maple syrup.
  • Step 3: Mix the coconut and maple into the ground almonds and work into a dough. Use your hands to form 10 small balls put them on the baking tray 1.5 inch apart.
  • Step 4: Use a fork to push the balls down and make a crisscross on the top of each cookie.
  • Step 5: Bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes until golden. Cool on a wire rack.

Cauliflower and Potato Satay Curry

by Lou Robbie

This is a very tasty satay curry. I was on a quest to use up a head of organic cauliflower that was looking a bit sad and neglected and I have to say it was delicious in this dish. I hoked and poked in the cupboards, fridge and freezer and managed to find all I needed for this curry without having to buy anything else. Using what you have at home is a great way to prevent food waste and it’s very satisfying using up odds and ends.

This curry needs the potato but add whatever veg you have that needs to be used up like peppers, carrots, courgettes, aubergine, greens. Most veg will work in here whether its fresh or frozen.

I’m a sucker for peanut butter and it helps to thicken the sauce and add that needed protein to keep you fuller for longer.

Will you give it a try? let us know in the comments below.

Lou 🙂

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons cooking oil
  • 1 onion, finely diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, grated
  • 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
  • 3 teaspoons curry powder
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • 1/2 teaspoon chilli flakes
  • 1 heaped teaspoon brown sugar
  • 1 head of cauliflower, torn into florets
  • 1 sweet potato and 4 regular potatoes about 700g altogether, peeled and cubed
  • 1 tin chopped tomatoes 400g
  • 1 tin full fat coconut milk 400g
  • 500g hot veg stock
  • handful of spinach
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 100g smooth or crunch peanut butter
  • 2 tablespoons peanuts, salted or roasted

To serve: boiled rice and flatbreads

Method:

Step 1: Warm a wide pot on a medium heat. Add a glug of cooking oil along with the onions, cook for a couple of minutes then add the garlic and ginger. Cook for a further 5 minutes to soften.

Step 2: Add in the spices the curry powder, turmeric, garam masala, chilli, brown sugar and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Toast for a minute or two.

Step 3: Toss in the cubed sweet and regular potato along with the cauliflower and coat in the spices.

Step 4: Pour in the tinned tomatoes, veg stock and coconut milk, stir and simmer for 15-20 minutes.

Step 5: When the potatoes are cooked through stir in the peanut butter, peanuts and spinach. Taste the sauce and adjust if needed. Serve with rice and flatbreads.