Creamy Broccoli Pasta Bake

This delicious bake comes from our Happy Gut course, made with gluten-free pasta and topped with a creamy gluten-free béchamel sauce. The greens of the leeks and scallions (instead of garlic and onion) provide a great base flavour to the mushrooms and broccoli. It's low FODMAP, which means it's low in fermentable carbohydrates and easy on digestion.

Takes

Serves 6

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil
200 g dried gluten-free tube-style pasta (we used penne)
1 bunch of scallions (greens only)
110 g leek (greens only – max 54g per person)
200 g oyster mushrooms (75g per person)
250 g broccoli florets (max 75g per person)
2 tbsp tamari
4 tbsp water
1 tsp salt

Béchamel Sauce

5 tbsp olive oil 1 tbsp oil max per serving
5 tbsp white gluten-free flour such as rice flour
1 L soy or rice milk around 125ml max per serving
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
4 tbsp nutritional yeast 16g max per serving
Pinch of nutmeg
2 bay leaves

Topping

40 g gluten-free breadcrumbs blend old GF bread to make your own
1 tbsp flaked almonds no more than 12g
1 tbsp oil
Pinch of salt and pepper

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Cook the pasta according to the package instructions until slightly al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the pasta cooking and to prevent sticking.
Prepare the vegetables: Finely chop the greens of the scallions and leeks, finely chop the mushrooms, and cut the broccoli into small bite-sized florets.
Start the béchamel sauce: While the pasta is cooking, in a non-stick pot, heat the olive oil. Once hot, add the rice flour and whisk for 2 minutes, stirring continuously until golden. Slowly add the soy or rice milk to the roux (the flour and oil mixture), whisking continuously. Add the seasoning (salt, pepper, nutmeg) and the remaining ingredients (nutritional yeast and bay leaves). Bring it to the boil, then reduce to a simmer, whisking often to prevent sticking. Once it reaches the desired thickness, remove the bay leaves, take it off the heat, and adjust seasoning if necessary.
Cook the vegetables: In a large non-stick pan, heat 1 tbsp of oil over a high heat. Add the scallion and leek greens with a good pinch of salt. Reduce to medium heat and cook for 3-4 minutes until softened. Add the mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes until reduced. Add the broccoli florets and 4 tbsp of water. Bring to a simmer, then cover and steam until the broccoli is just cooked (about 5-8 minutes).
Assemble the bake: Mix the pasta, béchamel sauce, and cooked vegetables together. Transfer the mixture to an ovenproof dish, smoothing the surface slightly.
Prepare the topping: Mix the gluten-free breadcrumbs, flaked almonds, 1 tbsp oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper together. Scatter this mixture evenly over the pasta bake.
Bake: Place the dish in the oven and bake for 20 minutes or until the sauce is bubbling and the crumb topping is golden brown.

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Keyword Low FODMAP Creamy Broccoli Pasta Bake

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Spring Veg Buddha Bowl

This is one of our favourite ways of eating! The combination of this beautiful coconut lentil curry, spring greens, kimchi, charred fennel, and crimson sauerkraut with some brown rice for starch is just perfect. It's a balanced meal that brings together lots of flavours and plant diversity to feed an enlightened microbiome!

Takes 30 minutes

Serves 2

Ingredients

For the coconut lentil curry

5 scallions (spring onions)
3 cloves garlic
½ thumb-sized piece of ginger
1 x 400 g tin coconut milk
1 x 400 g tin cooked lentils (drained weight: 240 g)
1 x 400 g tin chickpeas (drained weight: 240 g)
10 g fresh coriander (small bunch or herb of choice)
2 tbsp curry powder
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
Juice of ½ lime

For the bowl

1 fennel bulb
200 g broccoli or tenderstem broccoli
50 g kimchi
50 g sauerkraut
250 g cooked brown rice or grain of choice
100 g greens of choice
2 tbsp pesto

Instructions

Coconut Lentil Curry:
Drain and rinse the chickpeas and lentils. Peel and finely chop the garlic and ginger. Finely chop the scallions (spring onions). Pick the coriander leaves from the stalks, and finely chop the stalks.
Heat a large pan on high heat. Once hot, add 1 tbsp of oil and the chopped scallions, ginger, and garlic. Cook for 2 minutes.
Add the curry powder, turmeric, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly to prevent burning.
Pour in the coconut milk, add the drained lentils and chickpeas, and stir well. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
Taste the curry and adjust seasoning if needed. Add the chopped coriander leaves just before serving.
Charred Fennel and Broccoli:
Fill and boil the kettle. Pour the boiled water into a medium saucepan, add a generous pinch of salt, and bring it back to a boil.
Cut the base of the fennel bulb and slice it in half lengthwise. Then cut each half into 4 chunks, giving you approximately 8 chunks.
Add the chopped fennel and broccoli to the boiling water. Cook for 4 minutes, then drain and allow them to dry slightly.
Heat a griddle pan until hot. Add the fennel and broccoli in a single layer and cook on both sides until charred and nice grill lines appear. Remove and set aside.
Bringing It All Together:
Take the greens of your choice and mix them well with 2 tbsp of pesto.
In two bowls, divide the cooked rice. Add a spoonful of kimchi, a spoonful of sauerkraut, some charred broccoli, and fennel to each bowl.
Top each bowl with a generous serving of the coconut lentil curry. Sprinkle with chilli flakes if desired, and enjoy!

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The Happy Pear Podcast

Dave and Steve are on a mission to make fruit and veg sexy and this podcast is about inspiring you to be a happier, healthier version of yourself.

Each week, there will be great conversations which will give you practical takeaways to enable you to be at your best.

Brought to you by

Episode 7 – Dr Rangan Chatterjee

This week’s episode is with the amazing Dr Rangan Chatterjee.

Rangan is a breathtaking human.

He is a physician, author, television presenter, podcaster and much more.

He has been a medical doctor for more than 20 years and is a pioneer in the emerging field of progressive medicine.

He is best known for his TV show ‘Doctor in the House’ and for being the resident doctor on legendary BBC One’s Breakfast Show. He also writes for the Huffington Post and pens a monthly column on lifestyle medicine in Top Santé. His TV show’s have been shown in more than 70 countries around the world and in 2017, he came 8th in the Pulse Power 50 list for influential GPs.

Simply put, Rangan is on a mission to simplify health. He believes that health has become far too confusing and that we need to get back to basics with a 360 degree approach to health through food and lifestyle.

“We aren’t weak. We don’t lack will power. We’re just humans trying to get by each day. The world is tough. It is difficult at the moment. We don’t need to beat ourselves up. Let’s be kind and compassionate to ourselves.”

Rangan is always so honest and passionate, and we learn something new everytime we speak to him, so we’re delighted to bring this conversation to you and we really hope you enjoy it.

In this episode, Rangan takes us through:

His childhood and how he now reflects on it
The importance of getting out into nature
His 4 pillars of health
His approach to stress management
Why journaling can be really supportive
His approach to and learnings from parenthood
Dealing with cravings and changing habits
Truly understanding your goals for long term change
Why we need good relationships and meaningful connections
His definition of success and his journey to understanding it
The need to be kind to ourselves

This is a wonderful conversation – we really loved it and we hope you take as many practical and useful nuggets from it as we did.

Big love,

Dave & Steve

Available now from all good podcast providers:

Easy Japanese Veg & Noodle Ramen

Ramen is one of the most popular dishes in Japan nowadays. It’s a fresh-tasting dish that’s simple to whip up. We designed this dish to be really easy to make, using simple ingredients that you can find anywhere. It's perfect for a nourishing mid-week dinner.

Takes 15 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 litres vegetable stock
5.5 tbsp tamari
Thumb-sized piece of freshly grated ginger
Juice of 2 limes
2 tbsp maple syrup
200 g rice noodles or wholewheat noodles (4 nests)
300 g oyster mushrooms
3 tbsp water

Toppings:

1 red chilli
4 scallions (green part only)
1 large carrot
200 g bean sprouts (most of 1 pack)

Instructions

Place the vegetable stock, 2.5 tbsp of tamari, grated ginger, the juice of 1 lime, and 1 tbsp of maple syrup in a suitably sized pan. Bring to the boil.
Tear or chop the mushrooms into bite-sized pieces. Heat a pan over high heat. Once hot, add the mushrooms and cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring regularly. If they start to stick, add 1 tsp of water.
Mix 3 tbsp of tamari, 3 tbsp of water, the juice of 1 lime, and 1 tbsp of maple syrup in a bowl. Add this mixture to the mushrooms and cook for 2 more minutes, or until most of the sauce has been absorbed.
Once the broth is boiling, reduce it to a simmer. Add the noodles and cook according to the instructions on the packet.
While the noodles cook, de-seed and finely chop the red chilli and the green part of the scallions. Grate the carrot and wash the bean sprouts in a colander.
Once the noodles are cooked, use a slotted spoon or tongs to divide them between 4 deep bowls. Ladle the broth into each bowl, ensuring the noodles are just covered.
Layer the ramen with bean sprouts and grated carrot on each side of the bowl. Top with the chopped scallions and chilli in the centre. Finally, add the mushrooms to the centre of the bowl and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

Tips:

To take your ramen to the next level, add some dried seaweed (e.g. arame) and 2 tbsp of miso into your broth. Garnish with fresh coriander and/or pickled ginger or sauerkraut.

Beat the Bloat: As referenced in our Gut Health Course – Use the green part of the scallions only.

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Perfect porridge

Porridge can seem like gruel for many people but we like to think of it as a blank canvas which can be decorated and made to be a delicious work of art that will leave you looking for more!

Takes

Serves

Instructions

To make wonderful porridge you want to think texture, colour and flavour. For example berry compete will bring a brilliant bright purple colour, caramelised banana will bring a slight chew, a caramel note and a lovely banana sweetness.
Here are 5 principles to making beautiful porridge/ oatmeal
Know your oats – Oats come in many forms from:
Oat groats – these are the wholegrain before being steamed and rolled – these take longer to cook and are a little like short grain brown rice
Steel cut oats where the oat groats have been cut into smaller pieces – like oat groats but in smaller bit size
Rolled oats – they normally come in 2 forms – jumbo meaning the flake size is larger and the porridge ends up coarser porridge with a little texture OR oat flakes or smaller oat flakes which normally cook quicker and result in a thicker more smoother, baby food like porridge
Creamy porridge is always better
Part of the reason why many people see porridge as gruel is that its cooked on water and served with completely plain so it really does taste one dimensional. If you try cooking your porridge with half of your milk of choice and half water it results in a creamier porridge that tastes much more satisfying!
One of our favourite milks to cook our porridge in is rice milk. Rice milk is naturally quite sweet and mean your porridge end up creamier and sweeter.
Other ones to try are half hazelnut milk half water as its gives a slight ‘nutella’ like note
For a more indulgent porridge try cooking your porridge on half coconut milk from a tin and half water.
Go with what you like – If you’re like our mom and dad they just prefer their oats cooked with water so make sure to go with what you like.
Think texture and colour when topping and decorating your porridge – porridge itself is quite one dimensional so its important to add variety of texture. Think crunchy, creamy, fruity, nutty and any other texture you like. More below on toppings on point 5.
Sweet or savoury? Our good friend Mark always likes avocado and seaweed in his porridge or in Japan they have a savoury rice porridge with miso and mushrooms for breakfast. Porridge or oatmeal is a wholegrain that can be seasoned to your liking.
Toppings are key and a real game changer:
Crunch – granola – its pretty easy to make – we have lots of recipes here or else we make lots available nationwide
Nutty – peanut or almond butter or toasted seeds
creamy – we love coconut yogurt or yogurt of choice
fruity – try making some fruit compote or stewed fruit of choice
caramelise bananas – this is so easy to do and is worth while – ensure your bananas are ripe, heat a non stick pan on medium heat, peel and slice the banana lengthwise and place flat side down on the pan, fry till it starts to caramelise, turn and repeat. Serve warm on your porridge for a wonderful treat!

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Banoffee overnight oats

The infamous British dessert when toffee, banana, & cream are brought together on a buttery biscuit base. Here we recreate a healthier breakfast version that makes a fabulous snack or healthier dessert. Steve’s wife Justyna eats them for breakfast lunch and sometimes even dinner! Serves 4 Takes 10 mins

Takes 10 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients

Date caramel
150 g Pitted Dates
350 ml of boiling water
1/2 tsp of Vanilla extract
2 tbsp of almond butter
Pinch salt
Bircher muesli
250 g Oats
40 g Raisins
20 g of chia seeds
600 ml Oat milk
pinch ground cinnamon
Caramelised almond sprinkle
50 g flaked Almonds
2 tbsp Maple syrup
200 ml of Coconut yogurt fat content approx 10%
2 Bananas

Instructions

Full and boil the kettle. Cover the pitted dates with boiling water and leave to soak for 5 mins.
Mix all the ingredients together for bircher muesli and leave to soak for either 30 mins of else overnight.
To make the caramelized almonds simply heat a non stick pan on medium heat, once hot add the almonds and cook for 4-6 mins until they start to golden ensuring to stir regularly to avoid burning. Once they are golden, remove the pan from the heat and add the maple syrup and stir quickly to ensure that you coat each nut. Continue to do so for a minute until the maple syrup has started to harden.
Drain the dates and add to a food processor along with the almond butter, vanilla, water and pinch of salt and blend until it reaches a smooth caramel-like texture.
Slice the bananas
To serve
We like to serve these in clear glasses where we can see the layers.
At the bottom of each glass add the caramel (divide the amount between 4 glasses)
Next divide up the bircher muesli, followed by a serving of banana, if you can it look great if you put the bananas facing out around the glass on the inside so you can really see its a banoffee. Add a generous dollop of coconut yogurt and top with some caramelised almonds.
enjoy!

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Carrot cake chia pudding

A great way to get a serving of veg for breakfast – carrot cake was always one of steves favourite cakes so he decided to extend his love for carrot cake and see if he could come up with some way to enjoy a healthier version for brekkie – this was borne out this idea and its really works. For any carrot cake lover this one’s for you! Our favourite way to serve is like a double layered carrot cake with a dollop of chia pudding, some coconut yogurt, another dollop of carrot cake chia pudding and then a generous serving of coconut yogurt on top, with a sprinkle of chopped walnuts.

Takes 10 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients

Chia pudding
40 g chia seeds
300 ml almond milk or rice milk
30 g raisins
30 g of walnuts
Pinch of cinnamon
Pinch of allspice
2 tbsp of cacao powder
30 g of carrots
30 ml of maple syrup
To serve
300 ml of coconut yogurt find one with under 15% fat content

Instructions

Method
Roughly chop the walnuts into small pieces. Finely grate the carrot, then roughly chop.
In a large bowl mix together all the ingredients for the chia pudding including the grated carrot and the chopped walnuts (leaving 1 tbsp walnuts aside to garnish). Leave to soak for 30 minutes or overnight in the fridge. Give it a good stir before serving.
To serve:
In a jar or clear glass fill it ¼ full of chia pudding, ¼ full of coconut yogurt, ¼ full with another layer of chia, ¼ full with coconut yogurt to top off, sprinkle with chopped walnuts and Enjoy!

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Light Crunchy Granola – lower in fat

This works perfect as a light snack just eaten on the go, served with almond milk as a breakfast, with coconut yogurt or fruit as a cooling summer brekkie or else served on top of piping hot porridge to add a crunchy and sweetness. Easy to make and really delicious! If you can get some freeze dried raspberries they really add to the colour, subtle undertone and vibrancy of this granola.

Takes 40 minutes

Serves

Ingredients

400 g of Gluten free jumbo oats Use Gluten Free for HG
40 g of sunflower oil
60 g of date syrup or maple syrup
50 g of dessicated coconut
Pinch of salt
Pinch of cinnamon leave out if you dislike
Dried fruit to serve once granola is cool
30 g of goji berries
10 g of freeze dried strawberries
30 g of raisins

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 160 degrees
In a large bowl mix together the oats, oil, syrup, dessicated coconut, salt and cinnamon until well mixed. Pour onto a baking tray approx (insert dimensions 36 x 27cm ).
Bake for 30 mins at 160 degrees C in fan oven, open once or twice and stir the granola around the tray so that it bakes evenly.
Remove from the oven and leave to cool for 15 mins.
Add the dried fruit and and mix well.
Store in an airtight container. It will keep fresh for 6 weeks. Enjoy!

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Mexican Burrito Bowl

Super tasty, easy to make, wholesome, and packed with nutrition – this is a great meal at any time of the day. Best served with cooked rice, salsa, and corn chips.

Takes

Serves 4

Ingredients

For the Chilli:

3 cloves of garlic
1 red chilli pepper
1 yellow pepper
1 bunch of scallions (spring onions)
1 x 400g tin of kidney beans
1 x 400g tin of butter beans
1 x 400g tin of black beans or chickpeas
2 tbsp of oil
2 x 400g tins of chopped tomatoes
6 tbsp of tomato purée (100g)
1 tbsp of maple syrup
2 tbsp of ground cumin
2 tbsp of ground coriander
2 tbsp of tamari or soy sauce
½ tbsp of smoked paprika
Juice of 1 lime
1 tbsp of salt
½ tbsp of black pepper

For the Guacamole:

2 ripe avocados (ripe but not bruised)
Juice of 1 lime
1 clove of garlic
¼ medium-sized red onion
3 cherry tomatoes
½ tbsp of salt
Pinch of ground black pepper
A few sprigs of fresh coriander

To Serve:

Cooked rice (preferably brown rice)
Fresh coriander
Salsa (if you have it)
Corn chips

Instructions

For the Chilli:

Peel and finely chop the garlic. Chop the end off the red chilli and finely slice it, removing the seeds if you prefer it less spicy. Deseed the yellow pepper and finely chop. Trim the ends off the scallions (spring onions) and finely slice them, discarding any limp green outer leaves. Drain and rinse the beans.
Heat the oil in a large saucepan over high heat. Once the pan is hot, add the garlic, red chilli, yellow pepper, and scallions. Cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring regularly.
Add the remaining ingredients: the chopped tomatoes, tomato purée, maple syrup, ground cumin, ground coriander, tamari or soy sauce, smoked paprika, lime juice, salt, and black pepper. Bring to the boil, stirring regularly, then reduce the heat and simmer for 5–10 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
Serve with some freshly chopped coriander or chives.

For the Guacamole:

Cut the avocados in half, remove the stone, and slice them lengthwise and crosswise into small squares while still in the skin.
Scoop out the avocado flesh with a spoon and place it in a bowl.
Slice the lime and squeeze the juice into the bowl.
Peel and finely chop the garlic and red onion, then add them to the bowl.
Slice the cherry tomatoes and add them in.
Add the salt, black pepper, and diced fresh coriander.
Mash all the ingredients together with a fork until you reach your desired consistency.

Putting it All Together:

Once you’ve made the chilli and guacamole, serve them with cooked rice (pre-cooked rice is available at most supermarkets if you don’t want to make your own), corn chips, salsa (if you have any), and some fresh coriander.
Enjoy!

Notes

Beat the Bloat Tip: As referenced in our Gut Health Course – Start with small portions to see how you feel.

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Easy summer fruit bakewell tart

A wonderful traditional summer fruit type dessert with a shortcrust pastry, jammy fruit layer and a wonderful delicate almond sponge on top, known as a frangipane. Defo one of our favourite summer desserts! For a gluten free option simply replace the white flour with buckwheat or gluten free flour.

Takes

Serves 12

Ingredients

Shortcrust pastry
150 g white flour / buckwheat flour for a healthier or GF alternative
75 g coconut oil
3-4 tablespoons cold water
pinch of salt
Frangipane
1.5 tablespoons ground flax seeds
4 tablespoons water
130 g coconut oil
155 g ground almonds almond flour
140 g maple syrup
1.25 teaspoons baking powder
Jam / fruit layer
250 g fresh raspberries/ strawberries
4 tablespoons water
100 ml maple syrup
2 tablespoons chia seeds
Decoration
50 g flaked almonds

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4. Line the base of a 23cm (9 inch) springform cake tin with greaseproof paper.
First start with making the short crust pastry. In a large mixing bowl add the flour. Finely chop the coconut oil and add along with a pinch of salt and massage with your fingers until the coconut oil has mixed with the flour to form a breadcrumb like texture with no lumps of coconut oil, which should take about 3 minutes.
Add 3 tablespoons of water, and press the mixture together into a firm ball, if it is not all sticking together add an extra tablespoon or two of water. Once the pastry has come together, place in the fridge or freezer for 5 mins to firm up (this will make it easier to shape and form – but if in a rush you can skip this step).
Lightly coat your hands in flour and transfer the dough into the spring form cake tin and press firmly to the bottom of the tin so that it is approx 0.5cm high and evenly covering the whole base, making sure it is only cover the base and not the sides.
Pop the cake tin in the preheated oven for 10 minutes to blind bake at 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4 (no need to cover with baking paper and dried beans).
Next, make your frangipane mixture. In a bowl, put the ground flax seed and the water, mix it well together and set aside until it turns gloopy quite like an egg. Melt the coconut oil in a small pot over a high heat. Once melted, transfer to a mixing bowl and add the ground almonds along with the maple syrup, baking powder and the ‘flax egg’, and mix well till homogenous.
To make your strawberry/ raspberry jam, chop the strawberries finely (if using raspberries no need to chop them) and transfer to a medium sized pot along with the water. Cook over a medium heat until the fruit starts to break down, which should take a couple of minutes. Then add the maple syrup and chia seeds and bring to the boil, leave simmer for 6-8 mins to reduce and thicken. Stir regularly to avoid it burning or sticking to the bottom. Remove from the heat, transfer to a bowl and leave to cool and firm up.
Take the base out of the oven (leave the oven on) and cover with all the jam. Next, gentle spoon the frangipane mixture on top of the jam layer ensuring to cover the full cake (no need to worry if any pink or red colour from the fruit comes through the frangipane layer, this will look even more authentic once it will be baked). Sprinkle on a layer of flaked almonds.
Pop the tart back in the oven and bake for 30 mins. Once baked, take out and leave to cool for about 15 minutes and enjoy!

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The Happy Pear Podcast

Dave and Steve are on a mission to make fruit and veg sexy and this podcast is about inspiring you to be a happier, healthier version of yourself.

Each week, there will be great conversations which will give you practical takeaways to enable you to be at your best.

Brought to you by

Episode 6 – Ella Mills aka Deliciously Ella

This week’s episode is with the amazing Ella Mills.

Ella is the founder and driving force behind the brand Deliciously Ella. She is all about using her platform to share simple and delicious ways to feel better.

Starting from a personal blog, Deliciously Ella has evolved into so many things, from an app, to a deli, to a series of podcasts and even a hugely successful range of plant-based food products available all over the UK and now Ireland. Her story has a lot of similarities to ours, so it was so lovely to get the chance to sit down for a longer period of time with her.

Ella started everything back in 2012. She had previously been diagnosed with a number of serious health issues and following months in and out of hospital and numerous unsuccessful treatments, she started looking into other ways of managing her condition.

Encouraged by stories and research, she decided to turn to a whole food, plant-based diet and well, the rest is history. Ella is the picture of health today and hopes that sharing her journey can help others to follow in her footsteps. She is now married to her wonderful husband, Matt, who is the CEO of Deliciously Ella and she is mother of 2 small daughters.

“Health is so simple. We can make it so complicated, but at the base of it is simplicity. That’s what I have been focusing on and I can’t tell you the difference it has made”

Ella is always so honest and lovely, and her passion really does shine through when she speaks, so we are so excited to share this lovely conversation with you!

In this episode, Ella takes us through:

The origins of Deliciously Ella and her unexpected journey to creating a business.
How she balances relationships and life in a family business.
Balancing ambition and contentment.
Her health journey, using food as medicine and discovering her online community.
What her definition of health is today.
How she balances public and private life.
Navigating social media today and staying mindful with content.
Keeping tabs on her relationship with technology.
Building a brand with herself at the centre.
How she defines success and what her ‘why’ is.
Her perspective on gratitude.

Ella is continually an inspiration for us – we always take an incredible amount from her and we really hope you find it great too!

Big love,

Dave & Steve

Available now from all good podcast providers:

Creamy spinach and ricotta pancakes

Creamy, delicious and healthy, while only taking 10 mins to make these are fabulous! Based on the traditional french Savory socca pancakes which is a chickpea pancake that is high in protein and really has an eggy like light fluffy pancake texture. These are wonderful and so worth trying

Takes 10 minutes

Serves 2

Ingredients

Spinach and cashew ricotta

130 g cashew nuts
100 ml water
Pinch salt
Pinch garlic powder
100 g spinach wilted and drained

Socca – chickpea flour savory pancake

120 g gram flour chickpea flour OR flour of choice
250 ml veg stock
2 tbsp ground flax seeds/ 1/2 banana
Pinch salt
1 tsp baking powder

Instructions

For the Spinach and ricotta: Soak the cashew nuts, in a bowl covered with just boiled water and leave them to soak for 10 mins or overnight if you have the time. Drain and give them a good rinse before blending. For the ricotta, simply add the rinsed soaked cashew nuts into the blender along with the water, garlic powder, salt and blend till super smooth. If they cream is a little lumpy if youre blender is not that strong simple put through a sieve to get the creamy sauce and keep the left overs for something else. To wilt the spinach just add to a pot with 50 ml of water and put the lid on, leave to wilt for 3 mins until all the leaves have cooked down. Using a sieve over the sink, transfer the spinach and give it a good squeeze to remove any excess moisture and a rough chop and in a large bowl gently fold the spinach through the cashew cream.
To make the pancake batter, Sieve in the gram flour to a large bowl and add the rest of the ingredient and mix well (if using a banana mash before adding) or blend in a blender until smooth. Heat a non stick pan on high heat. Once hot reduce to a medium heat.
Drop in a dollop of your pancake mixture and ensure to spread it out evenly so there is a thin evenly spread coating. leave them to cook until they start to bubble throughout and form little aeration pockets (you’ll know what we mean when you are doing this!) and slightly brown and drier along the edges. You’ll know they’re done when they start to bubble a little and turn golden. Use a silicone spatula to turn the pancake and repeat on the other side.
Repeat with the rest of your batter.
Top with a generous covering of the spinach ricotta cream and decorate with some sliced red chilli – enjoy these are delicious!

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Vegan Sunday Roast

Dave had a vegan Sunday roast with all the trimmings in a café in Belfast, which inspired us to create this recipe. It’s really tasty and perfect for family gatherings or celebrations.

Takes

Serves 6

Ingredients

Veggies:

1 kg potatoes
5 tbsp oil
1 tsp salt
4 medium parsnips
4 medium carrots
1 tbsp maple syrup
400 g frozen peas

The Roast:

150 g vital wheat gluten
4 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
1 x 400g tin of cooked lentils
150 g oyster mushrooms
100 g tomato puree
3 tbsp tamari/soy sauce
50 ml vegetable stock
1 portion of vegan gravy recipe below
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp tamari

Gravy:

1 onion
1.5 tbsp oil
500 ml veg stock
4 tbsp nutritional yeast
4 tbsp tamari
2 tbsp garlic powder or 4 cloves, super finely chopped
a pinch of black pepper
3 tbsp cornflour
4 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

Preheat the oven:
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/gas mark 4).
Roasted Veg:
Chop the potatoes into halves or quarters (leave the skin on, but scrub and wash well).
Transfer them to a mixing bowl, sprinkle over 1 teaspoon of salt, and drizzle 3 tablespoons of oil.
Mix until all the potatoes are well coated. Spread them on a baking tray and bake for about 45 minutes, or until golden, slightly charred, and smelling amazing!
While the potatoes are baking, chop the carrots and parsnips into batons.
In the same mixing bowl, toss them with 2 tablespoons of oil and 1 tablespoon of maple syrup.
Place them on a separate baking tray and bake for 40 minutes or until they start to char and smell fabulous.
The Roast:
In a bowl, mix the vital wheat gluten, nutritional yeast, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper.
Drain and rinse the lentils and leave them to dry in a colander.
Finely chop the mushrooms and add them to the bowl along with the lentils and tomato puree. Mix well.
Slowly add the tamari and ¾ of the veg stock. Mix well.
Gradually add the remaining stock as needed to avoid making the mixture too wet.
Knead the dough with your hands for a few minutes until it comes together.
Flatten the dough into a rectangular shape about 2 cm thick and cut it into 8 strips, making sure they fit into your steamer.
Cut 8 pieces of foil or parchment paper and wrap each strip. Place the wrapped strips in a steamer and steam for 30 minutes.
Allow them to cool slightly before unwrapping.
In a bowl, mix half the gravy with the maple syrup and tamari.
Marinate each strip, pressing lightly to absorb the flavours.
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a flat pan on high heat.
Cook the strips for 3 minutes on each side until they start to char.
Peas:
Boil the peas in a small saucepan for 1 minute. Drain.
Gravy:
Finely chop the onion and sauté in a pan with oil for 2-3 minutes.
Mix the veg stock, nutritional yeast, tamari, garlic powder, and black pepper.
Pour this into the pan and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and stir in the cornflour.
Add the olive oil and cook for 3-4 minutes.
Strain the gravy through a sieve for a smooth consistency.
To serve:
Plate each portion with a roast strip, roasted potatoes, carrots, parsnips, peas, and a generous serving of gravy.

Keyword gravy, roast, vegan

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Smashed Potatoes with Sriracha Mayo

We’re going to be really bold here and say these are possibly the nicest way to eat a potato! Being Irish, potatoes have a very special place in our hearts. Some say we eat so many potatoes that they’re flowing in our blood. These are magnificent—crispy, crunchy, and the perfect middle ground where crispy meets a potato with a lovely sweet spiciness!

Takes

Serves 2

Ingredients

1 kg new or baby potatoes
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper

Sauce:

4 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp sriracha (optional)
1 tbsp tamari
½ tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp garlic powder

Sriracha Mayo:

2 tbsp sriracha sauce
5 tbsp mayo

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 200°C (fan).
In a saucepan, boil the potatoes for 15-20 minutes. They are done when a knife easily pierces the centre, but they should not be falling apart.
Transfer the cooked potatoes to a baking tray. Gently smash them to crack open slightly by flattening with the base of a glass, mug, or pot. Be careful not to smash them too much but enough to ensure they open up. The aim is to release some of the starchy insides, which, when coated in a little oil and baked, turn wonderfully crispy.
Drizzle the oil mixture evenly over the potatoes, giving the tray a shake to coat them thoroughly. Sprinkle evenly with salt and pepper.
Roast in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, until golden and super crispy.
While the potatoes roast, mix together the sriracha mayo ingredients to make a great dip to accompany the crispy potatoes.
Serve the crispy smashed potatoes with the spicy sriracha mayo on the side.

Video

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15 Minute Singapore Noodles

This is a super tasty, simple noodle dish packed with flavour. It is low in FODMAPs*, so it's easy on digestion as well as being really delicious. Enjoy!

Takes

Serves 4

Ingredients

200 g brown rice (buckwheat, or wholewheat noodles)
300 g block of tempeh or firm tofu (replace with 350g oyster mushrooms if preferred)
2 red peppers
150 g green beans
1 bunch of scallions (green part only)
Thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger (12g)
2 red chillies
1 tbsp sesame oil (or sunflower oil)
1.5 tbsp olive oil
1 medium carrot (100g)
2 tsp salt
4 tbsp tamari
1 tbsp curry powder
100 ml hot water
Juice of 2 limes
Small bunch of coriander
70 g toasted cashews

Instructions

Cook the Noodles:
Place the noodle nests into a pot of boiling water and cook according to the instructions on the packet.
Drain and rinse under cold water in a colander, then set aside.
Prepare the Ingredients:
Finely slice the block of tofu, tempeh, or mushrooms into small cubes, approximately 1–1.5cm on each side.
Finely slice the red peppers and chop the green beans in half.
Finely slice the scallion greens.
Peel and finely chop the ginger, and finely chop the chillies.
Cook the Protein and Aromatics:
Heat 1 tablespoon of sesame oil and 1.5 tablespoons of olive oil in a large non-stick, wide-bottomed pan (a large wok works well) over high heat.
Once heated, add the chopped tofu, tempeh, or mushrooms along with the ginger and chillies.
Cook on high heat for 5–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the protein starts to brown on each side.
Add the Vegetables:
Grate the carrot and add it to the pan along with the tamari, salt, scallion greens, green beans, and peppers.
Cook for 4 minutes, stirring regularly.
Finish the Dish:
Add the curry powder and 100ml of hot water. Stir well and simmer for 2 minutes.
Incorporate the Noodles:
Add the cooked noodles and the juice of the limes.
Mix everything together thoroughly and cook for a further 2 minutes.
Garnish and Serve:
Remove from the heat.
Finely chop the coriander and sprinkle it over the dish along with the toasted cashews.
Serve and enjoy!

Notes

FODMAP Information:

FODMAPs are fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols, which are short-chain carbohydrates that the small intestine absorbs poorly. Some people experience digestive issues after eating them.

Keyword noodles, singapore

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Vegan Korma – gluten free, low fodmap and delicious!

A super tasty easy to make vegan korma recipe. This recipe is also gut friendly as it is low in fodmap’s (which we explain more about below). We make a simple delicious sauce and cook potatoes, courgettes, cherry tomatoes and chickpeas through it. This dish goes great served with quinoa or brown rice.

Takes: 40 mins | Makes: 4 Servings | Difficulty: Beginner

We love Korma’s, creamy rich delicious curry type dishes with their ethnic roots in India. In this dish we put lots of different spices in this to bring out the distinctive flavours but if you want to pair back this dish you can simply add 2 tbsp of curry powder instead of what we use. We use lots of different veg here but know that you can replace these with any other type of veg you have just ensure to cook it through. You can also make this dish with sweet potato instead of normal potato so this is an option too. In terms of the sauce, we use coconut milk and then use some ‘miso stock’ – you will likely never have heard this term as we think we made it up! By miso stock we simply put 2 tbsp of gluten free miso in a mixing jug with 400ml of warm water and mix it, it is a way of creating a low fodmap veg stock.

What makes this dish gut friendly?

This dish is low in FODMAP’s which stands for fermentable, oligosaccharide disaccharide, monosaccharide and polyols (we know it is a total mouthful!!) Basically it means fermentable carbohydrates. This mushroom curry is a low fodmap curry so it is low in fermentable carbohydrates so really good for anyone with a sensitive gut or tummy. Some of the main high fodmap foods that can cause bloating or irritation are garlic, onion and beans/lentils. Fodmap’s are super important and great for your health but for some people with sensitive guts reducing high fodmap foods for a period of time can help them to not feel bloated or irritated.

FAQ – frequently asked questions

If I don’t have a sensitive gut can I use the white part of the leek also

Sure thing, of course! we leave it out to make this dish low fodmap but if you do not have a sensitive gut then please use the white part too!

Can I use low fat coconut milk?

Absolutely! low fat coconut milk usually has half the amount of fat so if you are conscious of the amount of fat you consume low fat coconut milk is much lower and works great in this dish.

Can I freeze this dish?

Yes indeed it freezes really well and heats up great. We suggest freezing it in portions so you only have to reheat what you need so it avoids wastage.

Can I make this dinner ahead of time and heat it up just before serving?

For sure! You can make this curry ahead of time just make sure not to add the fresh herbs till you are going to eat it as it will lose its vitality if you cook it twice.

Can I use sweet potatoes instead of normal potatoes?

Absolutely!! They will both cook in similar times so please do use them interchangeably.

How long does this dish last in the fridge?

It will last for at least 3 days in the fridge and for 6 months in the freezer.

Tips for making this Vegan Korma

Get all your ingredients ready to go first and do a double check that you are not missing anything before you start.
Prep your veg first and drain and rinse your beans.
By getting all the main parts of the dish ready before hand, the cooking process is a lot easier.
Try use a wide bottom non stick pan as there is more surface area to caramelise the veg.
Tidy up as you go and clean up while the dish is cooking.
Take your time and enjoy it, you are making a truly awesome dish!!

Serving suggestions for this dish?

You might like to serve this dish with tofu – here is a recipe of 3 ways to cook tofu
Although from a very different food background – this Middle Eastern mezze platter is super tasty
These are lovely Empanadas with sweet potato and black beans
These are class too – very tasty indeed Creamy buffalo quesadilla

Other gut friendly low FODMAP recipes

Here’s another low FODMAP gut friendly Quinoa, veg and caramelised pecans
Delicious low FODMAP gut friendly muffins – these go great as a snack and even for breakfast 🙂
A real classic using lentils is this easy to make low FODMAP Lentil Spaghetti Bolognese
Mushroom curry

Vegan Korma

This is a lovely, simple coconut korma with a rich sauce. It is not spicy and is a hearty crowd-pleaser. It's also low FODMAP, so what's not to love? Enjoy!

Takes 40 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients

Brown basmati rice (to serve)
1 tbsp oil
4 tomatoes
2 leeks (green part only, approx. 200 g)
20 g fresh ginger
1 fresh chilli
1 courgette (max 260 g)
750 g potatoes
100 g green beans
240 g coconut milk
1 tbsp gluten-free rice-based miso (mixed with 400 ml hot water)
2 tbsp tamari
1 lemon (juiced)
1 tbsp maple syrup
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground turmeric
4 tsp medium curry powder
2 tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
150 g cooked chickpeas
15 g fresh coriander (a small bunch)

Optional

A couple of gluten-free pitta breads (to serve)

Instructions

If serving with rice, start cooking the rice first.
Finely chop the green parts of the leeks. Peel and finely chop the ginger. Finely chop the chilli, removing the seeds if you prefer it less spicy. Chop the courgette into bite-sized pieces, and chop the potatoes into small bite-sized pieces for quicker cooking. Finely chop the tomatoes and cut the green beans in half.
Heat the oil in a large (4-litre) pot over high heat for 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and add the leek, tomatoes, ginger, chilli, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Stir regularly, keeping the lid on, and let the vegetables sweat for about 10 minutes.
Check regularly and add a little water if anything starts to stick.
Add the courgette, potatoes, and chickpeas, and turn the heat up to high. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring regularly.
Add the coconut milk, prepared miso stock, tamari, maple syrup, lemon juice, cumin, coriander, turmeric, curry powder, remaining teaspoon of salt, and black pepper.
Stir well, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and add the green beans. Simmer on low heat for about 5 minutes.
Check if the potatoes are cooked through before serving.
Finely chop the fresh coriander, including the stalks, and add just before serving.
Serve with rice and, optionally, gluten-free pitta breads.

Nutrition

Calories: 444kcalCarbohydrates: 64gProtein: 12gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 12gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 1gSodium: 1976mgPotassium: 1738mgFiber: 11gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 2700IUVitamin C: 94mgCalcium: 142mgIron: 8mg

Keyword Korma, low fodmap, vegan

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An image of Steve Favourite Brekkie - Porridge

Steve Current Favourite Brekkie

A perfect balance of sweet and tangy sharpness from the berry compote, creamy loveliness from coconut yoghurt, and juicy, satisfying fresh fruits.

Takes

Serves 2

Ingredients

1 kg fruit of choice (cantaloupe melon, apple, banana)
250 g frozen or fresh mixed berries
150 g 150g coconut yoghurt or yoghurt of choice
50 g 50g nut or seed butter of choice (almond butter)
100 g granola of choice

Instructions

Chop your fruit into bite-sized pieces and divide them between two bowls.
To make the berry compote, place the frozen berries in a medium-sized pot with a dash of water. Heat on high until boiling, then reduce the heat to a simmer.
Cook for 5–10 minutes, stirring occasionally. For a thicker compote, allow the berries to simmer longer and remember that the compote will thicken as it cools.
To serve, top each bowl of fruit with a generous spoonful of berry compote, followed by the coconut yoghurt. Drizzle with your choice of nut or seed butter.
Sprinkle granola over the top for added crunch and texture.
Serve and enjoy!

Keyword porridge

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An image of Vietnamese Coconut and Tempeh Curry

Vietnamese Tempeh Curry

This is a deliciously simple curry! It’s packed with flavour and is really substantial.

Takes

Serves 4

Ingredients

300 g sweet potato
400 g potatoes
1 x 300g pack of tempeh (substitute with firm tofu or oyster mushrooms if not available)
220 ml full-fat coconut milk
400 ml water
4 tbsp tamari or soy sauce
A thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger (peeled and finely grated or chopped)
Juice of 2 limes
2 tbsp maple syrup
2 tbsp curry powder
1 tsp salt
Green part of a small bunch of scallions (spring onions, finely sliced)
½ head of pak choi (finely chopped, use the entire length, discard the base)
A bunch of fresh coriander (finely chopped)

Instructions

Preheat the oven:
Preheat the oven to 180ºC (350ºF).
Prepare the potatoes:
Chop both the sweet potato and regular potatoes into bite-sized pieces (leaving the skin on).
Spread them out on a baking tray and roast in the preheated oven for 25 minutes until tender and golden.
Make the curry sauce:
In a blender, combine the coconut milk, 400ml water, ginger, lime juice, maple syrup, curry powder, tamari, and salt.
Blend until smooth
Cook the tempeh:
Cut the tempeh into small cubes (about 1.5cm).
Place the tempeh on a baking tray and coat it with half of the blended curry sauce, ensuring each piece is evenly covered.
Spread the tempeh out evenly on the tray.
Bake for 20 minutes, stirring after 10 minutes to ensure even cooking and distribution of the sauce. The tempeh should be golden and slightly crispy when done.
Prepare the curry base:
Pour the remaining half of the curry sauce into a large saucepan and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to a simmer and let it thicken while the tempeh and potatoes finish cooking.
Combine and simmer:
Once the potatoes and tempeh are done, transfer them to the saucepan with the simmering curry sauce.
Mix well to ensure everything is coated in the sauce.
Add the pak choi:
Finely chop the pak choi (removing the base) and stir it into the curry.
Cook for a further 2-3 minutes until the greens are wilted but still bright in colour.
Final seasoning:
Remove the curry from the heat. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary (add more tamari, salt, or lime juice if desired).
Serve and garnish:
Finely slice the scallions and chop the fresh coriander.
Sprinkle them over the curry when serving for a fresh finish.

Notes

Serving suggestion: This curry pairs well with brown rice or wholemeal couscous.

Beat the Bloat: As referenced in our Gut Health Course, this recipe is easy on digestion due to the plant-based ingredients and light coconut milk.

Keyword Coconut, Curry, Tempeh, Vietnamese, Vietnamese Coconut and Tempeh Curry

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Plougher’s Burrito

This is a simple burrito that is like none you have had before!

Takes

Serves 4

Ingredients

Apple
vegan cheddar cheese violife
vegan cream cheese sheese
beetroot pickle/vac packed beetroot
mixed leaves
gurkins
vineagrette dressing
wholemeal wraps

Instructions

Core and slice the apple.
Slice the cheddar cheese.
Toss the mixed leaves in the vineagrette.
Layer up your sandwich/wrap with a generous serving of cream cheese on the base, then the beet pickle/vac packed beetroot, sliced cheddar cheese, gurken, dressed mixed leaves and toast or wrap in your wrap.

Keyword burrito

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An image of Healthier Chocolate Salted Caramel Squares

Healthier Caramel Squares

Healthier caramel squares that will leave you looking for more! Enjoy!

Takes 30 minutes

Serves 10

Ingredients

Base Layer

280 g ground almond or almond flour
100 g agave or clear date syrup
100 g coconut oil
Pinch salt

Caramel Filling

300 g pitted dates
100 g almond or cashew or peanut butter
10-14 tablespoons water
4 tablespoons coconut oil
1 large pinch of salt add more if you like it
1 teaspoon Vanilla extract

Chocolate Topping

300 g dark chocolate

Instructions

Base Layer

Line a brownie pan or baking tray that is approx 20cm x 30cm with baking parchment. In a saucepan melt the coconut oil. In a large bowl mix together the ground almond with the coconut oil and agave syrup/ clear date syrup. Pour into the lined baking tray and compact with a spoon so that its level and compressed. Put in the freezer to set for 20 mins while you make the caramel and melt the chocolate.

Caramel Layer:

In a food processor add all ingredients for the caramel layer and blend until super smooth and caramel-like, this may take up to 5 minutes depending on your food processor and you may need to add a little more water if it is a bit clumpy and not blending!
Take out your base layer once it has fully set (should take 20 mins) and spread out the caramel layer on top of the base layer so it is smooth and well spread out. Put bake in the freezer to set again while you melt your chocolate.

Chocolate

Melt your chocolate by using a water bath or bain marie. Once melted pour over the top of the caramel layer.
Leave to cool and set
Once cold cut to your desired size
Enjoy these are so good!

Keyword caramel squares, healthier

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Easy Apple & Blueberry Crumble

This crumble recipe is dairy, gluten, and refined sugar-free, and it’s super tasty too! It's easy to make, and you can use nearly any type of fruit.

Takes

Serves 7

Ingredients

Stewed fruit:

1.5 kg apples (we use normal eating apples)
100 g frozen blueberries
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
8 tbsp water

Crumble:

150 g gluten-free oats
50 g ground almond
3 tbsp pumpkin seed
3 tbsp sunflower seeds
75 ml sunflower oil coconut oil (or 5 tbsp coconut oil)
90 ml maple syrup

Instructions

Preheat the oven:
Preheat the oven to 170°C.
Prepare the fruit:
Core and chop the apples into bite-sized pieces, leaving the skins on.
Place them in a pot with the frozen blueberries, water, and the other stewed fruit ingredients (ground cinnamon and ground ginger).
Cook the fruit:
Bring the fruit mixture to the boil, then reduce to a simmer.
Stir occasionally and cook for about 20 minutes, or until the fruit has broken down.
Prepare the crumble topping:
If using coconut oil, melt it first by gently heating it in a pan.
Mix all the crumble ingredients together in a bowl, including the oil (sunflower or coconut).
Assemble the crumble:
Once the fruit has stewed, transfer it to a baking dish (we used a 30cm ceramic dish) and spread it out evenly.
Spread the crumble topping evenly over the fruit.
Bake:
Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake for about 25 minutes at 170°C, or until the top of the crumble turns golden.
Serve and enjoy!

Keyword Apple Crumble

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Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

These cookies are chewy and delicious. Being Irish, the humble oat holds a special place in our hearts, making these a top choice over other chocolate chip cookies! They’re easy to make, and you can substitute the almond or peanut butter with tahini for a nut-free version. Swap oats for flour if you prefer a smoother texture.

Takes 15 minutes

Serves 7

Ingredients

1 tbsp ground flaxseed
3 tbsp water
90 g rolled oats or white flour
1 tsp baking powder
A pinch of salt
100 g coconut sugar
125 g peanut butter almond butter, or tahini
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp water
40 g dark chocolate chips

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 180°C (fan)/400°F/gas mark 6. Line a large baking tray with non-stick baking paper.
In a blender or food processor, blend 45g of the rolled oats into a fine flour.
In a small bowl, combine the ground flaxseed and 3 tbsp water. Set aside for 5 minutes to allow it to thicken.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the remaining oats, oat flour, baking powder, salt, and coconut sugar.
In a separate bowl, mix the nut butter (or tahini), 2 tbsp water, and vanilla extract until well combined. Add this mixture to the dry ingredients along with the flax ‘egg’, mixing thoroughly. This step is easiest done by hand to form a cohesive dough. Fold in the chocolate chips.
Divide the dough into 60g portions (should yield 7 cookies). Roll each portion into a ball, then place them on the prepared baking tray, leaving space between each to allow for spreading. Press each cookie gently with the palm of your hand, and sprinkle a few additional chocolate chips on top for decoration.
Bake in the preheated oven for 12-14 minutes, or until the edges start to turn golden, taking care not to let them burn. Allow the cookies to cool on the tray for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Video

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Red Pepper Pesto Pasta

This dish is super simple to make and a total crowd-pleaser—well worth trying!

Takes

Serves 4

Ingredients

10 g of garlic (about 1–2 cloves, depending on your preference)
100 g almonds
150 ml olive oil (or use 75ml water and 75ml olive oil for a lower-fat version)
30 g fresh basil leaves (removed from stalk)
1 tsp salt
15 ml balsamic vinegar
10 ml lemon juice
100 g roasted red peppers (from a jar, drained and rinsed)

Instructions

Prepare the Ingredients
Peel your garlic and remove any tough stalks from the basil leaves.
Blend the Pesto
Place all ingredients in a food processor or blender.
Blend until combined. If you prefer a chunky texture, pulse until you reach your desired consistency.
For a super smooth pesto, blend for longer until it becomes creamy.
Adjust the Seasoning
Taste the pesto and adjust the seasoning as needed, adding more salt or lemon juice to suit your taste.
Combine with Pasta
Serve with 500g of cooked pasta of your choice. Generally, a ratio of 2 parts pasta to 1 part pesto creates the perfect balance.
Enjoy!

Notes

Beat the Bloat

As referenced in our Gut Health Course – to reduce bloating, you can omit or use a minimal amount of garlic.

Keyword pasta, Pesto, Red Pepper

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A deliciously creamy curry with edamame beans, baby corn & brown rice. Great for on the go and great eaten at any stage throughout the day.

INGREDIENTS

Water, Carrots, Onions, Coconut Milk (7%) [Coconut Extract, Water], Coconut Cream Flakes, Red Peppers, Leeks, Baby Corn (4%), Bamboo Shoots, Edamame Beans (Soya) (4%), Tomato Purée, Brown Rice (3%), Lemon Grass, Corn Starch, Garlic Purée, Agave Syrup, Ginger Purée, Salt, Vegetable Oils [Rapeseed, Sunflower], Red Chilli, Vegetable Stock [Carrot, Onion, Leek], Lime Purée, Coriander, Cumin Seeds, Lime Leaf, Shallot Purée, Ginger, Red Chilli Powder, Lime Peel, Black Pepper

ALLERGEN INFORMATION

For allergens, see highlighted ingredients.
May contain traces of Nuts.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Typical	per 100g
Energy	247kJ / 59kcal
Fat	2.4g
Of which Saturates	1.0g
Carbohydrate	6.6g
Of which Sugars	2.9g
Fibre	1.9g
Protein	1.8g
Salt	0.72g

This Pack Contains 1 Serving

an image of the happy pear Lentil & Sweet Potato Dahl Meal Pot

A beautifully creamy coconut dahl packed with sweet potato, spinach and brown rice. Pearfect for anytime of day!

INGREDIENTS

Coconut Milk (20%) [Coconut Extract, Water], Water, Green Lentils (13%), Onions, Sweet Potato (9%), Potato, Carrots, Spinach (2.5%), Brown Rice (2.5%), Coconut Cream Flakes, Garlic Purée, Spices, Corn Starch, Tamari Soy Sauce [Soybean, Salt, Spirit Vinegar], Ginger Purée, Agave Syrup, Salt, Rapeseed Oil, Coriander, Garlic, Mustard

ALLERGEN INFORMATION

For allergens, see highlighted ingredients.
May contain traces of Nuts.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Typical	per 100g
Energy	418kJ / 100kcal
Fat	4.9g
Of which Saturates	3.7g
Carbohydrate	10g
Of which Sugars	3.2g
Fibre	2.8g
Protein	2.6g
Salt	0.81g

This Pack Contains 1 Serving

Epic Quick Korean Noodles

Super tasty and a real treat! Ready in minutes with an addictive sweet and spicy sauce and delicious veg. This noodle dish has just become our favourite go-to dinner!

Takes

Serves 2

Ingredients

For the Sauce:

6-10 tbsp tamari use more for a saltier taste, or less for a lighter flavour
6 tbsp maple syrup
3 tbsp rice wine vinegar
4 tbsp tahini or nut butter of choice
3 tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp chilli flakes
2 tbsp cornstarch
8 tbsp water

For the Rest:

200 g courgette zucchini
150 g button mushrooms
1 tbsp sesame seeds
6 nests of whole wheat noodles 320g

For Garnish:

Fresh coriander cilantro
Scallions spring onions
Sesame seeds
Chilli flakes or gochugaru Korean chilli powder

Instructions

Prepare the Sauce:
Mix all the sauce ingredients in a bowl until smooth.
Cook the Noodles:
Cook the noodles according to the package instructions. Save a little of the noodle cooking water.
Prepare the Vegetables:
Chop the mushrooms into small, bite-sized pieces. Slice the courgette into thin rounds. Slice the garnishes: chop the coriander and scallions (spring onions) into thin slices.
Cook the Mushrooms:
Heat a medium, non-stick pan over medium heat. Once hot, add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes until they release their liquid and reduce in size.
Add 2 tbsp of the sauce and cook for 1 minute, ensuring the sauce coats the mushrooms. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Deglaze the Pan:
Add 2 tbsp of water to the pan to deglaze it, stirring to incorporate the sauce and remove any bits stuck to the bottom.
Cook the Courgette:
Add the sliced courgettes to the pan in a single layer to allow them to brown properly. Cook for 4-5 minutes, turning them to brown both sides.
Combine Everything:
Drain and rinse the noodles. Add the cooked noodles and the remaining sauce to the pan with the courgettes. Cook for 1 minute until the sauce thickens and coats the noodles.
Add some of the reserved noodle cooking water to thin the sauce if it becomes too thick.
Serve:
Divide the noodles into two bowls. Garnish with the cooked mushrooms, courgettes, sliced scallions, sesame seeds, and chilli flakes (or gochugaru) for a spicy kick. Devour!

Video

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The Difference Between A Whole Food Plant-Based Diet and A Vegan Diet

Did you know that while a plant-based diet and a vegan diet might appear to be the same thing, this might not necessarily be true! While both diets do not contain any animal products, when it come to other food types, the approach can be different.A vegan diet does not include any animal products or animal by-products. However, this means that a vegan could technically live off chips and soft drinks and still be considered a vegan! As vegan diets become increasingly popular, the range of fake ‘meat’ products available nowadays is greater than ever before. While these products do not have any animal products in them, many are just as high in calories, fat and salt as their animal-based original.A whole food, plant-based diet is one that centres on whole, unrefined, and unprocessed foods. It’s made up of fruits, vegetables, wholegrains, beans, legumes, nuts, and seeds. Like a vegan diet, a whole food, plant-based diet excludes all meats, fish, dairy products, and eggs, however, it also steers clear of most refined and processed foods like refined white flours and grains, refined sugars and processed oils.‘Whole food’ and ‘plant-based’ are terms typically used to describe something that is made from whole, plant foods that have not been refined in any way.We have been eating a whole food, plant-based diet for the past 16 years and we really feel the benefits! By basing your diet around plant-based whole foods, you are automatically upping your fibre intake, as fibre is only found in plant-based foods, you are also increasing the nutritional content of your diet, as whole foods are packed with vitamins, minerals and goodness!

Check out our video with plant-based medical doctor, Michelle McMacken, all about why eating a whole food, plant-based diet is best for your health, as well as 2 other things we think all vegans and plant-based eaters should know! If you want to learn more about a whole food, plant-based diet, check out our online courses here: focused on plant based cooking, heart health, gut health or skin health.

“Our Commitment to Sustainability”

Eating more fruit & veg is one of the kindest things we can do for our planet and at The Happy Pear, we want to create a healthier and happier world.

That’s why we make delicious and healthy plant-based food for you to enjoy and why we’re doing our best to put it in a more sustainable and environmentally friendly packaging (just like our industrially compostable granola pouches, sprouts/bites tubs, and our home compostable meal trays!)

We have a team dedicated to sustainable packaging. In 2019 we launched 18 of our products with compostable packaging so that 55% of our entire wholesale product range is now in compostable packaging ! This range include:

– The Happy Pear Meals (trays only): Shepherdless Pie, Veggie Lasagne, Veggie Cannelloni, Chickpea Curry, Veggie Korma & Chilli No Carne

– The Happy Pear Granola Pouches: Cool Jim’s Granola, Steve’s Dreamy Granola, Dave’s Cocoa Granola

– The Happy Pear Sprouts (tubs and labels): Organic Alfalfa Sprouts, Organic Bean Mix, Leek Sprouts & Pea Shoots

– They Happy Pear Bites (tubs only): Salted Caramel Bites, Tiffin Bites & Seedie Cookie Bite

Plastic is terrible for the environment. It can be found in the bellies of more than 90% of the world’s sea birds, in more than half of the world’s sea turtles, and is even causing death in whales. Ocean plastic is also affecting human health. Microplastic has been found in commercial table salt and studies show that it can be found in both tap and bottled water.

About 13 million tonnes of plastic leak into our oceans every year negatively affecting aquatic life.

An estimated 9 billion tonnes of virgin plastic have been produced in the world until now. Nearly 70% of this has only been used once before being sent to landfills and open ecosystems. Only 9% of that 9 billion tonnes has been recycled. Plastic packaging accounts for about half of the plastic in the world and this needs to be addressed.

Ireland produces nearly 300 million tonnes of plastic every year. That’s a whopping 67kg per person, more than any other European country and double that of the UK.

Packaging accounts for more than 180 million tonnes of Irish plastic production and only 40% of this is recycled.

What Is Compost?

Composting is the natural process of decomposition. It turns organic materials like garden waste and plant-based foods into a dark earth called compost.

It is nutrient rich and feeds the soil with vitamins and minerals for plants to absorb. These vitamins and minerals support life on our planet as humans and other animals eat the plants that benefit from the nutrient rich soil.

For composting to work it needs food and other organic materials as well as water and air. When the conditions are right microorganisms get involved and start to break down the food and other organic material. Later in the process worms, insects, fungi and other organisms join in and break it down further.

You can make compost in two ways, at home or industrially. Industrial composting is managed by your waste management company and it’s super easy. All you have to do is put your organic waste into the correct bin (in Ireland that’s the brown one). Your food scraps will be collected and brought to a composting facility where it is turned into compost that will eventually be used mainly for agricultural purposes.

It is a little bit more work but anyone with a bit of extra space can make their own compost in their back garden. All you need is a compost bin and you are ready to go.

Our Compostable* Packaging

Our Compostable Granola Pouches and sprouts/bites tubs are made from plant based material. Think of it like the peel of an orange. It protects the food inside, and when it’s no longer needed it goes back to the earth, once disposed of though the industrial composting system.

In order for these packs to completely break down they must be disposed of in your organic waste bin (in Ireland that’s the brown bin). In 10 to 12 weeks it will be break down completely in an industrial facility and turn into soil to support more life.

Our meal and burger trays are produced in Ireland and are Ireland’s first home compostable meal tray. They are made from sustainably sourced virgin paper pulp board and lined with a unique bio-film which ensures no permeability. They are certified as “home compostable”, meaning that they will completely break down in your home compost bin. They can also be disposed of in your organic waste bin along with our other compostable packaging.

*All our compostable packaging is compliant with the European standard EN 13432.

“We Care About Our People and Our Planet”

We have always wanted to make the world a better place. We constantly try to make small changes to be kinder to the environment and leave less of a footprint – even by eating a plant-based diet you can make an impact!

Packaging

Over the last few years, we have extensively reviewed our packaging and moved to more sustainable solutions. We are trying our best to be kinder to the planet but we’re not perfect. We are continuing to look for sustainable packaging solutions for some of our products, which also ensures the quality of the food inside isn’t compromised in any way. For example, we’ve just launched new compostable pouches for our entire granola range, another win for the planet!

Currently, in our cafes, all our take-away food containers, cups, cutlery, straws, napkins and paper bags are fully compostable.

Cups & Coffees

All our takeaway cups are Paper-free, compostable cups! For over five years we had been using fully compostable cups in our cafés and last year we became one of the first businesses to use Ireland’s only completely paper-free compostable cup. The Treefree Cups we are using contain absolutely no paper product.

They start out as residual waste material from sugar-cane, making them the most sustainable single-use cup available on the market today! In the first instance, we encourage our customers to use reusable cups by offering 20 percent off our hot drinks if they do use a reusable cup.

We also sell reusable bamboo Ecoffee Cups in our cafés and offer a free coffee when you buy an Ecoffee Cup! On the subject of coffee we also roast our own coffee and we love and promote plant based milks which are more sustainable for the planet – we offer a range of plant based milks from oat to rice at no extra cost!

Refill For Free

We’ve free water available for everyone in our cafes with refillable glass bottles on every table for our customers to stay hydrated and they can refill their own water bottle to reduce plastic!

Food Waste

We work hard to reduce surplus food and food waste. We use any ‘unsellable’ fruit and vegetables from our stores in our employee lunches in Pearville, and our cafes donate any surplus food to local charities through food redistribution charity, FoodCloud. Even our coffee grinds from our cafés are used by local gardeners!

Gas & electricity

Our vans run on compressed natural gas, helping to reduce our vehicle CO² emissions.

We have installed LED light fittings across all our production facility Pearville, helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Origin Green

We are verified members of Origin Green, Ireland’s food and drink sustainability programme. It is a voluntary programme, led by Bord Bia, that brings together Ireland’s food industry – from farmers and food producers to retailers and foodservice operators – with the common goal of sustainable food production.

This programme enables Ireland’s food industry to set and achieve measurable sustainability targets that respect the environment and serve local communities more effectively. It’s about measuring and improving how we do this on an ongoing basis.

Community

We are committed to being an active and inspirational partner in the local community wherever we are based, working with schools, sports clubs, charities and community led groups to ensure that our presence has a positive effect on the local area and to ensure the local community want to be a part of our project.

People

Sustainability in staffing is also key. We offer paid internships to school and university leavers and run internal development programme for managers.

This fella’s a handy one to pick up if you are short on time. Our gorgeous asian inspired salad goes great with a main course or is great to have if you are short on time for lunch.

INGREDIENTS

Mixed Beans (64.5%) [Chickpeas, Red Kidney, Black Beans], Red Onion, Sundried Tomato Pesto (8.5%) [Olive Oil, Sun Dried Tomatoes (Sun Dried Tomatoes, Water, Salt), Basil, Almonds (Nuts), Balsamic Vinegar, Garlic Salt, Cayenne Pepper], Roasted Tomato (5.5%) [Semi-Dried Tomato, Rapeseed Oil, Salt, Garlic, Oregano], Rapeseed Oil, Harissa Paste (3%) [Chilli Paste, Garlic, Coriander, Salt, Caraway], White Balsamic Vinegar [(White Wine, Water, Sulphites), Concentrated Grape Juice], Parsley, Basil, Garlic Puree, Salt, Black Pepper

ALLERGEN INFORMATION

For allergens, see highlighted ingredients.
May also contain traces of Peanuts, Gluten, Sesame and Soya.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

This fella’s a handy one to pick up if you are short on time. Our gorgeous asian inspired salad goes great with a main course or is great to have if you are short on time for lunch.

Typical	per 100g:
Energy	626kJ, 150kcal
Fat	7.9g
of which saturates	1.04g
Carbohydrate	12.05g
of which sugars	2.6g
Fibre	4.4g
Protein	5.5g
Salt	0.79g

INGREDIENTS

Whole Wheat Fusilli Pasta (58%) [Durum Wheat Semolina, Water], Basil Pesto (20%) [Olive Oil, Cashew Nuts, Basil, Lemon Juice, Garlic, Yeast, Sea Salt, Apple Cyder Vinegar, Natural Flavour, Yeast Extract], Roasted Red Pepper (8.5%), Rapeseed Oil, Spinach, Lemon Juice, Garlic Puree, Basil (0.8%), Salt, Parsley, Black Pepper

ALLERGEN INFORMATION

For allergens, including Cereals containing Gluten, see highlighted ingredients.
May also contain traces of Peanuts, Sesame and Soya.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

This fella’s a handy one to pick up if you are short on time. Our gorgeous hearty roasted veg salad goes great with a main course or is great to have if you are short on time for lunch.

Typical	per 100g:
Energy	1067kJ, 256kcal
Fat	15.1g
of which saturates	2.17g
Carbohydrate	22.79g
of which sugars	0.9g
Fibre	2.4g
Protein	6.1g
Salt	0.67g

INGREDIENTS

Bulgur Wheat (43%) [Bulgur Wheat, Water], Roasted Chickpeas (18%), Roasted Red and Yellow Peppers (14%), Roasted Red Onion, Rapeseed Oil, White Balsamic Vinegar [(White Wine. Water, Sulphites), Concentrated Grape Juice], Lemon Juice, Coriander, Mint, Parsley, Garlic Puree, Ginger Puree, Dukkah Spice [Coriander, Sweet Paprika, Cumin, Fennel, Black Onion Seeds, Salt, White Pepper], Salt

ALLERGEN INFORMATION

For allergens, including Cereals containing Gluten, see highlighted ingredients.
May also contain traces of Peanuts, Nuts and Sesame.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

This hummus is a deliciously smooth, absolutely flavour packed and has that tiny little bit of a hit. Its great as a dip for pittas or veggies and always brings strong a vibrant colour to any sandwich.

INGREDIENTS

Typical	per 100g:
Energy	650kJ, 156kcal
Fat	9.3g
of which saturates	1.14g
Carbohydrate	13.2g
of which sugars	2g
Fibre	2.8g
Protein	3.4g
Salt	0.46g

Cooked Chickpeas (41%) [Chickpeas, Water], Rapeseed Oil, Chargrilled Red Pepper (17%) [Red Pepper (97%), Sunflower Oil], Tahini (14%) (Sesame Seed), Lemon Juice Concentrate, Onion Powder, Garlic, Date Syrup, Sea Salt, Smoked Paprika, Cumin, Cayenne, Black Pepper

ALLERGEN INFORMATION

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

With 30% less fat then our Happy Hummus, this smooth and creamy hummus is packed full of flavour. Like its brother, this gorgeous dip goes great with crackers or fresh veg for a delicious snack.

Typical	per 100g
Energy	1371kJ
	331kcal
Fat	28.0g
of which: Saturates	2.6g
Carbohydrates	10.0g
of which: Sugars	2.7g
Fibre	5.3g
Protein	7.2g
Salt	0.78g

INGREDIENTS

Cooked Chickpeas (58%) [Chickpeas, Water], Water, Rapeseed Oil, Tahini (11%) (Sesame Seed), Lemon Juice Concentrate, Garlic (1%), Sea Salt, Cumin, Cayenne

ALLERGEN INFORMATION

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

This fella’s smooth, creamy & beautifully full-flavoured with a touch of zing! Magic as a healthy snack and makes most foods taste great! David & Stephen X

Typical	per 100g
Energy	1033kJ
	250kcal
Fat	20.0g
of which: saturates	2.0g
Carbohydrate	6.8g
of which: sugars	0.6g
Fibre	0.7g
Protein	7.3g
Salt	0.79g

INGREDIENTS

Cooked Chickpeas (49%) (Chickpeas, Water), Rapeseed Oil, Tahini (15%)(Sesame Seeds), Water, Lemon Juice Concentrate, Garlic (1%), Sea Salt, Cumin, Cayenne

ALLERGEN INFORMATION

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Our medium-spiced Chickpea Curry is made with fresh veggies and chickpeas, in a creamy, coconut curry sauce. Served with fresh broccoli and hearty brown rice, this vibrant dish is bursting with flavours of India and made with all natural ingredients. A delicious meal in minutes, our wholesome and flavourful Chickpea Curry provides 2 of your 5 a day and is 440 calories

Typical	per 100g
Energy	1416kJ
	342kcal
Fat	29.0g
Of which:
Saturates	2.6g
Carbohydrates	12g
Of which:
Sugars	0.6g
Fibre	2.9g
Protein	6.8g
Salt	1.0g

INGREDIENTS

Cooked Brown Rice (30%) [Water, Brown Rice], Tomatoes, Coconut Milk, Broccoli (13%), Chickpeas (9%), Water, Onions, Red Peppers, Garlic Purée, Spices, Corn Starch, Ginger Purée, Rapeseed Oil, Salt, Lime Purée, Cumin Seeds, Garlic Powder, Mustard

ALLERGEN INFORMATION

For allergens, see ingredients highlighted.
May contain traces of Peanuts, Gluten, Soya and Sesame.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Our delicious Veggie Cannelloni is a rich and hearty pasta dish. It’s made with creamy sweet potato and spinach in a rich tomato sauce and counts as 2 of your 5 a day. We spent months perfecting this recipe to make the ultimate comfort food that is suitable for vegans and vegetarians without compromising on taste.

Typical	per 100g
Energy	384kJ \| 1535kcal
Fat	3.5g
Of which Saturates	2.1g
Carbohydrates	12g
Of which Sugars	1.5g
Fibre	1.4g
Protein	2.3g
Salt	0.35g

INGREDIENTS

Cannelloni (32%) [Durum Wheat Semolina, Sweet Potato (5%), Red Pepper (4.5%), Creamy Sheese® (Coconut Oil, Soya Protein Concentrate, Salt, Acidity Regulator (Lactic Acid), Thickener (Carrageenan), Natural Flavourings), Spinach Leaf (4.5%), Potato Flakes, Smoked Tomato Paste (Tomato, Smoke Flavouring from Oak), Cornflour, Olive Oil, Basil, Garlic Purée, Salt, Natural Flavouring, Black Pepper, Yeast Extract], Tomatoes, Soya Drink [Water, Hulled Soya Beans], Water, Onions, Rapeseed Oil, Wheat Flour [Wheat Flour, Calcium Carbonate, Iron, Niacin (B3), Thiamin (B1)], Garlic Purée, Corn Starch, Salt, Herbs, Paprika, Coconut Milk, Vegetable Stock [Carrot, Onion, Leek], Agave Syrup, Black Pepper, Nutmeg, White Pepper

ALLERGEN INFORMATION

For allergens incl. Cereals containing Gluten, see ingredients highlighted.
May also contain traces of Nuts, Sesame Seeds

NURTITIONAL INFORMATION

Our Shepherdless Pie is a comforting and tasty veg and potato pie, made with fresh vegetables and lentils in a rich tomato sauce, topped with a creamy potato mash and a crispy polenta crumb. Our Shepherdless Pie recipe has been a favourite amongst our customers for years, so we have created this delicious and low fat dish for you to enjoy at home. Serve with salad or fresh veggies, for a hearty meal in minutes. Love, Dave & Steve X

Typical	per 100g
Energy	441kJ / 105kcal
Fat	4.9g
Of which Saturates	1.3g
Carbohydrates	12g
Of which Sugars	2.0g
Fibre	1.0g
Protein	2.8g
Salt	0.65g

INGREDIENTS

Potato (44%), Tomatoes, Carrots (6%), Green Lentils (6%), Onions (6%), Water, Leeks, Rice Drink [Rice, Sunflower Oil, Salt], Celery, Rapeseed Oil, Corn Starch, Polenta, Garlic Purée, Salt, Herbs, Spices

ALLERGEN INFORMATION

For allergens, see ingredients highlighted.
May also contain traces of Nuts, Sesame Seeds

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Our Organic Bean Mix are perfect in salads, sandwiches, soups, or as a snack. These mighty fellas are a great source of protein and fibre, and goodness, and make a tasty addition to any savoury meal. Dave & Steve X

Typical	per 100g
Energy	301kJ / 72kcal
Fat	2.2g
Of which Saturates	0.3g
Carbohydrates	10g
Of which Sugars	0.9g
Fibre	2.1g
Protein	1.9g
Salt	0.42g

INGREDIENTS

Organic Red Lentils (36%), Organic Green Lentils (36%), Organic Mung Beans (28%)

ALLERGEN INFORMATION

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Our Organic Alfalfa Sprouts are perfect in salads, sandwiches, smoothies or soups. These mighty fellas are high in protein and are a great source of fibre and goodness. They make a great garnish on any savoury meal. Dave & Steve X

Typical	per 100g
Energy	629kJ
	149kcal
Fat	0.7g
of which Saturates	0.2g
Carbohydrates	28.3g
of which Sugars	3.6g
Fibre	8.6g
Protein	11.7g
Salt	0.01g

INGREDIENTS

ALLERGEN INFORMATION

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Our award-winning Sweet Beet Hummus is a deliciously vibrant blend of cooked beetroot, chickpeas, tahini and extra virgin rapeseed oil. Smooth and creamy, our sensational Sweet Beet Hummus makes a tasty and colourful dip or spread, that can be enjoyed in sandwiches, with crackers, fresh veggies and other savoury foods. Dave & Steve X

Typical	per 100g
Energy	126kJ
	30kcal
Fat	0.4g
of which Saturates	0.12g
Carbohydrate	2.5g
of which Sugars	0.1g
Fibre	3.8g
Protein	4.8g
Salt	0.01g

INGREDIENTS

Cooked Chickpeas (48%) (Chickpeas, Water), Beetroot (26%), Rapeseed Oil, Tahini (9%) (Sesame Seeds), Lemon Juice Concentrate, Garlic, Sea Salt, Cumin, Cayenne

ALLERGEN INFORMATION

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Dave’s Cocoa Crunch is a delicious mix of oats, sunflower seeds, coconut and cocoa powder. It makes a perfect brekkie with milk, porridge or fruit, and it’s free from refined sugars and artificial colours. This crunchy creation is a great source of fibre and it can be enjoyed straight from the tub, as a tasty snack! Dave & Steve X

Typical	per 100g
Energy	1017kJ
	245kcal
Fat	19.0g
Of which:
Saturates	1.7g
Carbohydrates	11.0g
Of which:
Sugars	2.5g
Fibre	3.5g
Protein	5.8g
Salt	0.86g

INGREDIENTS

Oats (50%), Date Syrup, Olive Oil, Coconut Oil, Puffed Brown Rice (4.6%), Dessicated Coconut (3.5%), Rice Flour, Fat Reduced Cocoa Powder (1.1%), Sea Salt.

ALLERGEN INFORMATION

For allergens, including Cereals containing Gluten, see highlighted ingredients.
May also contain traces of Peanuts, Nuts, Sesame and Soya.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Steve’s Dreamy Granola is made with oats, seeds, nuts, coconut, and raspberries and is his delicious high fibre, low sugar version of granola Nirvana! This gorgeous granola makes a perfect brekkie with milk, yogurt, porridge or it can be enjoyed by itself as a tasty snack. Dave & Steve X

Typical	per 100g
Energy	1875kJ \| 447kcal
Fat	17g
Of which:
Saturates	7.3g
Carbohydrate	60g
Of which:
Sugars	23g
Fibre	8.5g
Protein	9.1g
Salt	0.60g

INGREDIENTS

Oats (46.5%), Chicory Root Fibre, Seeds (8.4%) [Pumpkin, Flaxseed], Coconut (6.5%) [Desiccated Coconut, Coconut Flakes], Coconut Oil, Olive Oil, Almonds (Nuts), Rice Flour, Freeze Dried Raspberries (0.85%), Sea Salt.

ALLERGEN INFORMATION

For allergens, including Cereals containing Gluten, see highlighted ingredients.
May also contain traces of Peanuts, Nuts, Sesame and Soya.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Our Cool Jim’s Granola is a delicious mix of oats, seeds, sultanas, coconut, goji berries and cashews. It’s perfect paired with milk, yoghurt or porridge, or even just straight out of the tub. Made with real ingredients and free from artificial preservatives, this granola makes a tasty high fibre brekkie or snack. Dave & Steve X

Typical	per 100g
Energy	1978kJ \| 472kcal
Fat	21 g
Of which:
Saturates	8.6g
Carbohydrate	57g
Of which:
Sugars	3.7g
Fibre	6.9g
Protein	12g
Salt	0.46g

INGREDIENTS

Oats (56%), Seeds (11.5%) [Yellow Flaxseed, Pumpkin], Sultanas [Sultanas, Sunflower Oil], Agave Syrup, Dessicated Coconut, Olive Oil, Coconut Oil, Dried Goji Berries, Molasses, Rice Flour, Cashew Nut Pieces, Sea Salt.

ALLERGEN INFORMATION

For allergens, including Cereals containing Gluten, see highlighted ingredients.
May also contain traces of Peanuts, Nuts, Sesame and Soya.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Our Sun-dried Tomato Pesto is a delicious blend of olive oil, fresh basil, sun-dried tomatoes and almonds, with a delicate hint of cayenne pepper and balsamic vinegar. Perfect with pasta, sensational in sandwiches and delightful as a dip – our pesto is packed with flavour and goes great with just about anything savoury! Dave & Steve X

Typical	per 100g
Energy	1851kJ \| 442kcal
Fat	17g
Of which:
Saturates	6.5g
Carbohydrate	54g
Of which:
Sugars	15g
Fibre	10g
Protein	12g
Salt	0.15g

INGREDIENTS

Olive Oil, Rapeseed Oil, Water, Sun-dried Tomatoes (16%) (Sun-dried Tomatoes, Salt), Almonds (Nuts) (8%), Basil (7%), Balsamic Vinegar, Garlic, Sea Salt, Cayenne

ALLERGEN INFORMATION

For allergens, see ingredients highlighted.
May contain traces of Peanut and Sesame.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Our Veggie Lasagne is a rich, hearty lasagne with lovely veg in a rich tomato sauce. This fella is suitable for vegans, vegetarians and flexitarians and is packed full of flavour! Dave & Steve X

Typical	per 100g
Energy	1756kJ
	426kcal
Fat	43.0g
Of Which:
Saturates	4.0g
Carbohydrate	4.2g
Of Which:
Sugars	4.2g
Fibre	3.6g
Protein	3.8g
Salt	1.5g

INGREDIENTS

Tomatoes (24%), Soya Drink [Water, Hulled Soya Beans], Water, Courgette, Onions, Lasagne Sheets (8%) [Water, Durum Wheat Semolina], Carrots, Rapeseed Oil, Wheat Flour [Wheat Flour, Calcium Carbonate, Iron, Niacin (B3), Thiamin (B1)], Red Peppers, Green Peppers, Yellow Peppers, Aubergine, Coconut Milk, Corn Starch, Garlic Purée, Salt, Spices, Basil, Vegetable Stock [Carrot, Onion, Leek]

ALLERGEN INFORMATION

For allergens incl. Cereals containing Gluten, see ingredients highlighted.
May also contain traces of Nuts, Sesame Seeds.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Chia seed pudding is a super wholesome breakfast and really simple to make. Dave has been eating it for breakfast everyday for the last 4 years. It is packed with fibre, omega 3 essential fatty acids and also protein as well as lots of antioxidants. There is a process to making it, we always soak our chia seeds along with some ground flax seed, some cacao nibs, other seeds we might have and soak them in oat milk. The ratio is approximately 1 part chia seeds to 5 part plant milk, mix with a fork and leave to sit while you prep your fruit to top. We usually leave the chia pudding to sit for about 10 minutes and often have to add a little more milk till it reaches a pudding like texture that the fruit sits on top of it without sinking.

We’re also going to show you how to make a delicious whole-food sauce based around roasted red peppers, cashew nuts, non dairy milk and lemon juice. You will need a blender to make this sauce, if you don’t have one you could easily borrow one from a neighbour. Try to use wholemeal pasta as its higher in fibre and better for your digestion and microbiome, our favourite is wholemeal spaghetti. When draining the pasta, keep a little of the pasta water to thin out the sauce if needed. You want to ensure that the sauce is not too thick nor to thin so it that perfect texture

Last but not least, we are going to show you the easiest chocolate mousse…in the world! It’s the perfect thing to whip up if you have guests coming round, and keep in the fridge chilling until they’re ready to serve.

Benefits of Wheatgrass

Typical	per 100g
Energy	322kJ / 77kcal
Fat	3.4g
Of which Saturates	0.7g
Carbohydrates	8.9g
Of which Sugars	2.5g
Fibre	1.1g
Protein	2.1g
Salt	0.63g

The youngest of the Flynn brothers, Darragh, shares with us his extensive knowledge on the benefits of wheatgrass for the human body. Acting as both a powerful recovery-enabler and an amazing energy source, the wonders of wheatgrass seem extensive, but we’ll leave it to Dar to give you the details – take it away Little Bro!

Hi guys! Darragh here! If, like me, you are always on the hunt for that extra boost to help keep your health and fitness in peak condition, then you might be interested to hear more about wheatgrass and all of the amazing benefits it can have on the body.

I do a lot of running and have found that taking wheatgrass really helps me to keep fit and active. I have been taking it most days for the past 13 years now, and I particularly find it great for helping me to recover after runs. It also really helps with my energy levels.

I began growing wheatgrass for our Greystones’ shop back in 2009 and, nowadays, we have a dedicated sprout farm, where we grow the mighty green stuff to supply shops across Dublin. I truly believe wheatgrass to be one of the most nutritionally powerful things you can take and I have met countless people over the years who agree, including people whose conditions have dramatically improved by taking wheatgrass daily.

This includes a lady from County Wicklow, whose painful, inflamed knee completely cleared up after taking wheatgrass daily for six weeks. She was left completely pain free – something she attributes to the power of the potent green stuff!

What is wheatgrass?

Wheatgrass is the young plant of high-protein wheat, usually the red winter wheat variety. It is typically around 10 days old when harvested and it is grown indoors in trays, to make it grow faster and more evenly. As it is harvested so young, wheatgrass does not contain any gluten and is safe for coeliacs to take.

Why wheatgrass is wonderful!

I like to think of wheatgrass as an all-round natural multivitamin. Approximately one shot is the nutritional equivalent to 1kg of green vegetables juiced! It contains all eight essential amino acids (the building blocks of protein), 92 of the 108 minerals our bodies need, and vitamins A, B, C, E and K. Wheatgrass is also the highest known source of chlorophyll of any known plant in the world. All this goodness means it can be great for helping with detoxification, building red blood cells, and massively boosting the immune system.

How to take wheatgrass?

Unlike cows, us humans can’t digest grasses by eating them, as they are too fibrous for our stomachs to process. So the ideal way for us to take wheatgrass is to juice it in a masticating juicer. A what, we hear you say? A masticating juicer is a slow spinning juicer that crushes the wheatgrass, similar to the action of your teeth when chewing.

This is different to the more common centrifugal juicer that rotates very fast and ends up chopping the grass instead of juicing it. Unfortunately, using that type of juicer won’t give you any of the green liquid goodness you want. You can pay anything from €40, for a hand crank masticating juicer, up to €600, for the top-end, twin-gear electric masticating juicers. Mid-range electric models typically cost around €199.

How much do I take and can I overdo it?

The potency of wheatgrass is very strong, so we only need to drink a very small quantity of it. The recommended daily intake for maintaining optimum health is approximately 30 mls (1 fl.oz). If recovering from a major health challenge, it can be good to take up to 60ml up to twice a day, alongside a nutritionally balanced diet and other green juices.

However, you can certainly overdo it with wheatgrass, and I have done this myself in the past! Taking too much, too soon, can end up turning your stomach. I recommend starting small and slowly building your intake up over time; a tablespoon at first, then gradually building up to the 30ml shot.

Is wheatgrass powder as good as the fresh juice?

According to Brian Clement, the health pioneer from Hippocrates Institute in Florida, fresh wheatgrass is up to ten times more powerful than wheatgrass powder. Fresh wheatgrass contains all its enzymes, phytonutrients and life-force, compared to the powder, which has been dried and crystallised. These properties give the fresh product substantially more benefits for your health. While wheatgrass powder can be effective, I only tend to use it when I am travelling, or when I can’t get fresh wheatgrass. Frozen is okay also, but fresh is king!

Can I grow my own wheatgrass?

Absolutely! Take a look at our YouTube video below or follow my top tips for growing your own:

If you would rather buy wheatgrass ready to juice, then make sure to get yourself a pack in any Happy Pear outlets, or other great health or foodie stores around greater Dublin. It is available in two sizes; 150g packs (4 x 30ml shots) and 300g packs (7-8 shots).

Video

5 Hacks To Help You Save Time In The Kitchen

Want to eat healthy food but can’t find the time to cook? We’ve got you covered! Here are our top 5 ways for saving time in the kitchen, without compromising your health!

Our top 5 hacks for saving time in the kitchen:

1. Batch cooking

Meal prepping and batch cooking is one of the best ways to save time in the kitchen and stay on track with your health. Setting aside some time at the weekends to get your food ready in advance means you don’t have to spend time cooking each evening during the week. It also prevents poor food decisions, as there’s always healthy food on hand! Batch cooking is also a great way of saving money – those hangry trips to the supermarket after work can become a thing of the past, when you have pre-prepared meals ready at home!

2. 5-minute meals

We have lots of meals that take just 5 minutes to whip up in our 5-minute meal series on our YouTube channel. These meals are super-easy to make, and are packed with veggies and flavour! We particularly love this recipe for our delicious vegan Pad Thai!

3. One-pot wonders

One-pot dishes mean less mess in the kitchen and less time tidying up! We love one-pot dishes for simple, fuss-free cooking and our paella recipe is one of favourites!

4. Time-saving tricks

Every second counts when you are hungry and tired, so learning some handy short cuts in the kitchen is a great way to shave minutes of your cooking time! Learning good knife skills, prepping veg ahead of time, and having all the utensils and ingredients you need on hand, are all great ways of becoming speedier! We love this handy hack for peeling garlic, which is often the base ingredient for so many dishes!

5. Make breakfast the night before

Breakfast is one of those meals that can easily be forgotten about when you are in a rush to get out the door in the morning. However, making your brekkie the night before is a great time-saver, and means you don’t miss out on the most important meal of the day! Homemade granola bars, chia seed puddings, and overnight oats are all handy grab-and-go options.

10 Reasons To Get Your Protein From Plants

Protein is often equated with meat, eggs, and dairy, but in fact, we can – and science says we should – get the protein we need from legumes, whole grains, vegetables, and other plant-based foods. Here are the top 10 reasons why I recommend we look to plants for our protein needs.

1. Plant protein is the only truly lean (and clean) protein.

Legumes, such as beans, lentils, and chickpeas, are protein powerhouses that contain less than 5% of calories from fat. Compare this to beef, chicken and other animal foods, which even in their leanest forms can contain three or more times as many calories from fat as from protein! Fish also contain unhealthy fats, as well as industrial pollutants. Protein from animal sources brings along with it many noxious and inflammatory compounds: saturated fat, cholesterol, hormones, heme iron, bacteria, feces, advanced glycation endproducts, polychlorinated biphenyls, and in many cases, antibiotics. When you get your protein from plants, you’re sparing yourself of countless nutritional and environmental toxins.

2. Plant protein lowers your risk of obesity and unwanted weight gain.

3. Plant protein is anti-inflammatory.

Meat-based diets are linked to chronic inflammation, which can lead to heart disease, diabetes, and other illnesses. Animal products cause inflammation because of their saturated fat, endotoxins (small, toxic fragments of bacteria found in animal foods), heme (animal-based) iron, advanced glycation endproducts, and TMAO, a compound made by gut bacteria when we eat meat, eggs, or cheese. Plant-based diets, on the other hand, are naturally anti-inflammatory. Studies show that your blood markers of inflammation can drop in just a few weeks of shifting to a plant-based diet!

4. Plant protein can prevent erectile dysfunction and other blood vessel problems.

When our blood vessels fill up with cholesterol deposits (atherosclerosis) or constrict in response to inflammatory foods like animal products, our blood doesn’t circulate properly – leading to heart disease, strokes, and yes, erectile problems. Animal products are a primary cause of blood vessel dysfunction. In contrast, plant-based diets not only prevent, but can actually treat blood vessel disease, reducing symptoms within a few days.

5. Plant protein doesn’t cause diabetes.

Animal protein, especially red and processed meat, is one of the most potent triggers for type 2 diabetes, even in very small amounts. This is because animal fat, animal-based iron, and nitrate preservatives in meat impair the way our cells respond to insulin, making us insulin resistant. Favoring plant proteins over animal proteins is a very powerful way to lower your chances of getting type 2 diabetes, and even to treat your diabetes if you already have it.

6. Plant protein doesn’t cause cancer.

The World Health Organization considers processed meats (e.g., bacon, ham, sausage, cold cuts) a group 1 carcinogen (cause cancer) and red meats (e.g., beef, pork, lamb, veal, goat) a group 2 carcinogen (probably cause cancer). These meats are tied most closely to cancers of the colon, pancreas, stomach, and prostate. In fact, all meat, including poultry and fish, release carcinogenic compounds when grilled, barbequed, or otherwise cooked at high temperatures. Animal protein also stimulates our bodies to make IGF1, a hormone that has been linked with cancer cell growth. Plant foods, on the other hand, have powerful antioxidants and other phytonutrients that reduce your risk of cancer.

7. A plant-based diet has the right amount of protein.

Most people in the developed world eat far too much protein. In the U.S., for example, the average American adult eats more than 1.5 times the recommended daily allowance of protein. This excess protein does not make us strong and lean. Instead, it is simply stored as fat or turned into waste, and if it is from animal sources, it tends to increase our risk of disease. A plant-based diet can supply more than enough protein for us to thrive, without the many risks of animal protein. As long as your diet is based on a variety of plant foods including legumes, you’ll have no problem meeting protein needs without animal foods.

8. Plant protein might help you live longer.

A recent major medical study, in which more than 130,000 people were followed for over 26 years, found that replacing animal protein with plant protein decreased the risk of early death. This was true for all types of animal protein studied: processed & unprocessed red meat, poultry, fish, eggs, & dairy. Amazingly, using 3% of energy from plant protein to replace the equivalent amount of animal protein lowered death rates by 34% for processed red meat, 19% for eggs, 12% for unprocessed red meat, 8% for dairy, and 6% for poultry & fish.

9. Plant protein reduces animal suffering.

Animals raised for food endure extreme confinement, physical mutilation, and psychological distress. Even in non-factory-farm settings, animals are ultimately slaughtered, including dairy cows and egg-laying hens – many while still conscious. Choosing a plant-based diet is a powerful way to live a more compassionate life.

10. Plant protein is better for the planet.

Animal agriculture is a leading cause of greenhouse gas emissions, land and water use, deforestation, and wildlife destruction, and it contributes significantly to world hunger. Here’s the reality: what you choose to put on your plate can make a dramatic difference not just in your personal health, but the health of the entire planet.

Kitchen Essentials

Here are our top tips for anyone looking to stock up on food in the coming few weeks.
We based this on food that can be used in multiple ways and multiple recipes, is highly nutritious and is cheap and widely available.

Hope this is of some help. We hope you stay safe and healthy during this period and send all our love.

Beans and lentils – Dried will be cheaper and lighter to carry if buying in bulk. Choose your favourite such as split red lentils, dried black beans, mung beans etc etc. The good thing about cooking from dried is you can infused and more flavours and season the pulses from within. Canned pulses are a great choice too, relatively cheap and are v practical. In the Blue Zones where some of the longest living people in the planet live often over 50% of their diets are based around beans and lentils.

Higher in fibre, will fill you up for longer. Choose the likes of brown pasta, brown rice, oats, wholemeal bread – they are better for your health, are less processed and will fill you up for longer as well as being more nutritious.

Here we suggest 4 bases of sauce such as vegetable stock with which you can make a veloute (see link to recipe below), Tinned tomatoes and coconut milk & veg stock & flour to make a roux with which you can thicken non dairy milk to make a béchamel or veg stock to make a velouté or Espagnole sauce.

Condiments and flavour agents such as tamari or soy sauce or miso to add more base flavour to make your food taste nicer, vinegars will last longer than citrus fruit and can be used to cut through fatty sauces or add more zing to your food.

Higher energy dense wholefoods such as nuts, seeds nut butters, seed butters. Energy density refers to the amount of calories in a food relating to its weight. Higher energy dense food have more calories per gram than lower energy dense food which is much less calories per g. For example 1 tbsp of oil (15g) is 120 calories which is very energy dense versus the equivalent low energy dense comparison is 4 cucumbers which weight approx 800g and deliver 120 calories. So in terms of stocking up try to choose higher energy dense wholefoods such as un roasted or unsalted nuts, seeds. Nut butters or seed butters as they last for long periods of time and are high calories and are whole food sources meaning they contain their fibre and full nutrients

Spices last a long time when sealed and give you a huge opportunity to season your food in so many ways. Relatively they are cheap and really give you so much opportunity to make virtually any ethnicity of food. Some of our favourites are: curry powder, ground cumin, ground cinnamon, garlic powder, onion power, cumin seed, bay leaves, ground turmeric and ground chilli powder.

Frozen veg such as frozen spinach and peas are super practical, they will last for months and often are frozen at the peak of their freshness so can give you the opportunity to add some degree of freshness to your meals even if you cant make it to the shops.

These muffins are really easy to make and so worth the effort. My family really enjoy these when I make them. They are friendly for your gut as they are low FODMAP which means they are low in fermentable carbohydrates. They work great as a breakfast muffin at the weekend. You can use whatever fruit you have for decoration and if you don’t have any then they are fine without it!!

5 Tips for Kitchen Essentials

Here are our top tips for anyone looking to stock up on food in the coming few weeks.

We based this on food that can be used in multiple ways and multiple recipes, is highly nutritious and is cheap and widely available.Hope this is of some help. We hope you stay safe and healthy during this period and send all our love.

such as nuts, seeds nut butters, seed butters. Energy density refers to the amount of calories in a food relating to its weight. Higher energy dense food have more calories per gram than lower energy dense food which is much less calories per g. For example 1 tbsp of oil (15g) is 120 calories which is very energy dense versus the equivalent low energy dense comparison is 4 cucumbers which weight approx 800g and deliver 120 calories. So in terms of stocking up try to choose higher energy dense wholefoods such as un roasted or unsalted nuts, seeds. Nut butters or seed butters as they last for long periods of time and are high calories and are whole food sources meaning they contain their fibre and full nutrients

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We love mushrooms, particularly oyster mushrooms! They are meaty, substantial and wonderful sponges to absorb flavour. In this recipe we cook the mushrooms and aubergine with tamari which is a gluten free soy sauce. The sauce is a combination of coconut milk and tinned tomatoes which we have seasoned with some curry powder, ginger and lemon. It’s a really tasty curry.

What makes this dish gut friendly?

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