News and Reviews

Don’t Overindulge This Christmas….Why Not Opt For My Healthy ‘Vegan Style Eggnog’ Recipe Instead? So Easy And Quick

A guest recipe by Erika Doolan Nutrition Consultant.

Serves 4 to 6 people

Ingredients:

1 cup of water
1/2 cup soaked cashews
1 tsp nutritional yeast (buy in health store)
3/4 tsp vanilla extract
Sprinkle of cinnamon
4 tsp agave
1 tsp coconut butter
Pinch of sea salt

Simply blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Sprinkle with cinnamon and serve. Keep refrigerated.

Erika Doolan – Nutrition Consultant

Erika’s Blog: http://erikadoolan.blogspot.com

Posted by

Darren

Comments

(1)

Mari Carmen’s AJOBLANCO, Almeria style (white garlic sauce)

This is a very delicious, easy and fast recipe from Doña Mari Carmen Olmedo in Almeria, Southeast Spain, mother of Cesar, who produces YERBA Organic Olive Oil . It is used as a starter to be served with green beans, artichokes, sliced boiled egg, small fried fish (In Almeria often with salmonetes, small tasty pink sea fish). Also on thin slices of French bread or even crackers.

Ingredients:

YERBA Organic Olive Oil x 1/2 glass ( approx. 125ml) White wine vinegar Garlic  1 clove 100gr peeled almonds (best to peel your own almonds by blanching and removing skins) Salt White part of approximately one third of baguette (without the crust) Water.

Equipment:

Blender, long cup

Put the pieces of white French bread (without crust) and wet it with a mix of  water and white wine vinegar, so the bread is softened to a liquid paste.

Into a tall cup put 1 garlic clove, the soaked bread, the almonds without the skin, half a glass of YERBA Organic Olive Oil and some salt.

Mix it well with the blender and this it!

It is now delicious and ready to be served in different ways or as suggested above.

If the resulting sauce if very thick, it can be thinned adding some more water.

Recipe may vary to taste, i.e. more or less garlic, taking out the inside of the garlic, amount of vinegar and type, not peeling the almonds (in this case the sauce will not be that blanca!) A variation of this sauce, traditional in Malaga, is made by adding a good amount of water and served as an amazing cold soup (Gazpacho style)

Enjoy !

Posted by

Darren

Comments

(0)

It Is Packed With Antioxidants And Can Improve Your Health!

A guest blog by Erika Doolan Nutrition Consultant.

Dark chocolate is made from plants and has far more antioxidants than any other chocolate, in fact milk and white chocolate are bad for your health. Dark chocolate has 65 percent or a higher cocoa content. Always buy pure dark chocolate or dark chocolate with nuts or with orange peel.  Avoid anything with caramel, nougat or other sugary fillings. These fillings just add more sugar and fat which erase many of the benefits you get from eating the chocolate.

Dark chocolate is packed with antioxidants (nearly 8 times the number found in strawberries) which protects the body from aging and is good for your heart. It stimulates endorphin production, which gives a feeling of pleasure, it contains serotonin, which acts as an anti-depressant and it contains caffeine and other substances which are stimulants.

*Remember dark chocolate is high in calories and fat. Two small squares of dark chocolate occasionally can help keep your heart and cardiovascular system running well. Don’t overdo it!.

Studies show that drinking a glass of milk with your chocolate could prevent the antioxidants being absorbed or used by your body.

Nutrients:  iron, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, and the vitamins A. B1, C, D, and E. Cocoa is the highest natural source of Magnesium. A diet high in magnesium protects against the symptoms of hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, joint problems and pre-menstrual tension.

Erika’s Blog: http://erikadoolan.blogspot.com

Posted by

Darren

Comments

(0)

Well it is getting very cold.  Irish Vegetables feel it too.  December is the one month of the year whereby we see nothing new come into season.  We lose green Broccoli and Celery which are both not back in season until May.
Now, at its nutritional best and in season we have beetroot, purple broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celeriac, kale, leeks, mushrooms, pak choi, parsnips, swedes and turnips.

In Ireland we sometimes get confused but, believe it or not, a Swede is not a Turnip :)  The organic rutabaga, swede (from Swedish turnip), or yellow turnip is a root vegetable that originated as a cross between the cabbage and the turnip.

Of course, from storage, we still have potatoes, onions and apples.  We have no Irish fruit in season in December, it will be May before we see that on the shelves again.

Wrap up well and stock up on the root vegetable soup.

Posted by

Darren

Comments

(0)

Well its official we are still pretty.  We scooped two awards at the 2011 Irish Web Awards; “Best SME Website” and “Most beautiful website”.  We are delighted special thanks to our customers for continued support, the hardworking staff of the organic supermarket and the creative district our design partners for continuing to support and inspire us.

Posted by

Darren

Comments

(0)