FOOD TO GROW FROM

FOOD TO GROW FROM


Mixed Bean Feast & Root Vegetable Mash

Serves 2-4

Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons of olive oil
2 onions chopped
1 clove garlic chopped
1 clove garlic left whole for the mash
Fresh rosemary or thyme chopped
1 vegetable stock cube
3 tablespoons tomato puree
4-5 cups boiling water
1 cup of sweet corn
4-5 carrots (for the feast)-(peeled and cut into bite sized pieces)
6-7 carrots (for the mash)-(peeled and cut into even chunks)
1 medium swede (for the mash)-(peeled and cut into even sized chunks)
2 large sweet potato (for the mash)-( peeled and cut into even chunks)
1 cup of passata (fine sieved tomato)
1 can drained (in water) kidney beans
1 can drained (in water) pinto beans
1 can drained (in water) cannelini beans
Drop of milk or soya milk
1Tablespoon of butter or soya butter.

Place large pot of water on to boil and place the carrots, swede and sweet potatoes and garlic clove in it. Boil until soft. As it boils ......
Turn stove/oven on to a medium high temperature to preheat.
Pan fry onions & garlic in olive oil until soft. Add the chopped herbs of choice. Stir in puree and mix well. Transfer this mixture into a large pot big enough for the remaining vegetables .Add the corn, carrots, all the beans ,stock cube ,passata and water. Cook on a high heat for approximately 10- 15 minutes. Turn the heat down and simmer for a further 15-20 minutes. As the feast cooks out the colour will change to a lovely russet reddish hue and become quite thick and saucy. Season to taste. I love Maldon sea salt and freshly milled black pepper.
Meanwhile back at the mash ....once the root vegetables are tender drain off the water AND save the water if you are making the lentil soup. Add the milk, butter and season to taste with salt and pepper and madly mash with your mashing tool.

Once you’re happy with the flavour and thickness of your Bean Feast turn it out into a casserole dish. Place the Mash on top and spread it to create an even topping. You can place a few more knobs of butter on the top if you wish. Place in oven for a further 15 minutes to crisp up the top.
Serve with a nice green side salad to ensure full absorption of vitamins and nutrients.
Enjoy!
P. S. This dish does freeze well.

Lentil & Vegetable Soup

Serves 2-4

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons of Olive oil
2 Onions chopped
1 clove garlic chopped
1 vegetable stock cube
1 tablespoon of tomato puree
1 sweet potato peeled and cut into bite sized chunks
2-3 carrots peeled and chopped and cut into bite sized chunks
2 cans of Lentils drained
3 cups of boiling water Or your saved vegetable water from MASH

Pan fry the onions and garlic in the olive oil until soft. Transfer into a large pot big enough for the rest of the ingredients. Place the boiling water in the pot and add the vegetables ,lentils, puree and stock cube and cook on a high heat for 15-20 minutes. Once the vegetables are soft take off the heat. Put through food processor or blitz with hand held kitchen tool . The soup should be smooth and thick to your taste, if you find it’s too thick then add a little extra water to loosen. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Serve with raw carrot sticks and a chunk of wholemeal bread and butter.
Yum.

BB = Bank Balance
This helps BOOST your BB because the ingredients are cheap yet nutritious and part of the batch cooking process, which helps reduce utility bills.
If you make these two meals you can peel, chop, prep enough for both and save yourself some time.


Family Spirit
Imagination fires enthusiasm & interest. Knowing that I peel chop and cook my suppers for my family gives me a huge amount of pleasure. The more I see them tucking into my homemade handmade fodder the more I want to do it. I know that the importance of good wholesome food can sometimes lose it’s totem pole positioning in our busy schedules but I really believe that the effort I put into preparing nutritious meals for my gang starts with my love for them and nobody loves ‘em like I do.

Nutrition Boost

The mixed beans & lentils we’re cooking with are a great source of protein, have a high fibre content and are packed full of essential nutrients. Sweet potatoes and carrots are amazing vegetables. Carrots give us Beta-carotene, which looks after skin and eye health while sweet potatoes are great for improving digestion by stimulating good gut flora. So look good on the inside as well as out...Happy cooking
Super Duper Supplements

Upper Klamath Blue Green Algae
Great Energy boosting little green pill. Packed full of vitamins, minerals and aminos. I find this fuels my flagging energy levels and helps to restore my positive thinking.


Solaray Flaxseed Oil
Cold pressed flax oil that gives all the 3*6*9 omegas
in good ratio .Did I mention...... I love this oil and so do my joints.