This dish is stunning and tastes absolutely delicious!! It would make an fabulous centrepiece for any meal.
It all begins with lovingly grown sustainable ingredients like this beautiful organic cauliflower as well as the carrots, garlic and leeks. Add some earthy umami flavours finish with mint for freshness and lime for zing – magic!
White miso and tahini paste rub 2 tbsp white miso paste 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil 3 tbsp light tahini 2 tbsp olive oil 1 tbsp maple syrup or honey 2 tbsp light soy sauce
For the lentils 2 leeks chopped 2 carrots finely chopped 2 tbsp olive oil 4 cloves garlic sliced 1 tbsp smoked paprika 1 tin puy lentils, 240g drained
500ml litre veg stock 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar 1/2 tbsp soy sauce a hand full chopped baby spinach
salt and pepper to taste
Toppings– highly recommended to finish the dish. Fresh mint, chopped Fresh lime wedges
Method: Bake the cauliflower in the oven or the air fryer.
Step 1: If using the oven preheat to 180ºC. To cook the cauliflower; remove the leaves – use them for a chopped salad. Make a cross in the stalk. Boil in a pot of lightly salted water for 7 minutes until just soft. Remove from the water, pat dry with a towel and place on a baking tray. Mix all the miso paste ingredients together and coat the cauliflower. Bake in the oven for 45 minutes. or Air fry @ 160ºC for 10-15 minutes. Ready when its nice and brown all over.
Step 2: To make the lentils; warm a wide pan on a medium heat, add a tablespoon of oil and the leeks and cook for a few minutes, add the carrots, garlic, paprika, small pinch of salt. Pour in the stock and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the drained lentils, simmer
To serve; Top the lentils with the whole cauliflower, chopped mint and squeeze over the fresh lime.
Soup is just a fantastic way of getting lots delicious nutritious organic ingredients into one meal. Once made it is convenient to serve up, once its cooled its easy to store and reheat another day.
This soup requires little effort just chopping really! Roast up all the veg on a tray in the oven then blend with hot stock and serve. Delicious soup full of flavour and goodness.
Step 1: Preheat the oven 180ºC. To a large roasting tray add the diced onions, butternut squash, red peppers, cherry tomatoes, paprika, chilli, thyme, salt and pepper. Drizzle olive oil all over and give everything a good mix with your hands.
Step 2: Slice the top off the garlic bulb exposing the cloves, place it on a square of tinfoil or baking parchment paper and pour a table spoon of oil over it, close the tinfoil up like a parcel. Place it on the tray with the veg. Put the tray of veg in the oven to roast for about 40 minutes, stirring the veg half way through. Take the garlic out separately and discard the thyme twigs if any.
Step 3: When the veg is soft and cooked add it to a blender along with the hot stock, squeeze in the roast garlic. Blend to your desired consistency. A hand blender would work fine too. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Serve with crusty bread, 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.
A cupboard staple that’s easy to cook with, full of protein, and adds tons of goodness to your plate – the humble lentils are amazing in whatever colour you choose.
Click on the bold part to go directly to the recipe.
Chilly days call for a big bowl of nourishing goodness. And even when the cupboards seem bare, this spicy dahl can be whipped up with store cupboard staples. If you have some veg to use up you can roast it like my half butternut squash, or cauliflower, parsnips, carrots or beets.
You can go as spicy as you like here too with chilli flakes or fresh chillies. And amp up the garlic and ginger to ward off the winter bugs. So delicious and versatile and the perfect way to add more organic plants to your plate this January.
Lou x
Ingredients: serves 4
1/2 butternut squash 3 tbsp olive oil 1 small white onion, diced small 4cm piece of ginger, grated
4 cloves garlic, grated
1 small leek – diced small, optional 1/2 a fresh red chilli, finely chopped- or 1 tsp chilli flakes Spice mix: 1 tsp ground coriander, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp Garam masala 1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp maple syrup 250g dried red split lentils, washed and drained 750ml veg stock
1 tin chickpeas – drained Salt and pepper to taste More water to achieve desired consistency
To serve: plain yoghurt of your choice, fried curry or sage leaves, fresh chilli slices
To make it stretch further, serve with boiled rice and flatbreads.
Method:
Step 1: Preheat the oven 180ºc. Slice the butternut squash into semi circles, place on a baking tray, drizzle with oil, a pinch of salt and roast until soft- about 30 minutes.
Step 2: Warm a wide pot on a medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of oil and gently cook the onions until soft. Then add the leek, garlic, ginger, spice mix, tomato paste, maple syrup, salt and pepper to taste, stir and cook for a couple of minutes. Add the washed lentils and veg stock. Stir and simmer for 15 minutes then add the chickpeas and cook for a further 20 minutes. Stir the lentils every few minutes to make them soupy and creamy.
Step 3: Check that the lentils are cooked, adjust the seasoning if needed. Then serve with the cooked butternut squash slices, yoghurt, sage leaves and fresh chilli slices.
Delicious, easy, nourishing, and packed with plant power! We love this one pot dish and we think you will too!
The organic red Thai curry paste has all the aromatics added already and is a quick way to pack in the flavour.
Feel free to add some steamed rice or quinoa to make this dish go further. Its so tasty for lunch or dinner and your gut will be delighted with all the organic veggies in there.
Make sure you add it to your meal plan this January.
Lou x
Ingredients:
1/2 butternut squash , peeled and chopped into small cubes 1 tin of coconut milk
Step 1: A wide pot works well for this, add the diced butternut squash, the red curry paste, coconut milk and water. Simmer on a medium heat for 15 minutes.
Step 2: Next add the cauliflower florets and the butterbeans, stir to coat in the sauce and cook for a further 15-20 minutes. Check that the squash is soft, the cauliflower should be cooked but not to mushy, then take the pot off the heat. Season with salt and pepper.
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.
Its hard to choose just 5 savoury recipes from all that we cooked and shared in 2023. Cooking with organic vegetables always makes the most delicious meal and just knowing they they were treated with care adds to the overall enjoyment.
The star vegetables here are courgette, butternut squash, beetroot, celeriac and delicious Irish potatoes.
We hope you try them out in 2024.
Lou 🙂
Tap on the dish below and it will take you to the full recipe.
