OMG, I am so happy that you are now offering a food box delivery service, as I can't always make it into your wonderful shop.  I decided to get the immunity box to help boost my immune system.

I feel on top form now, thank you all for this magnificent new service. This has allowed me to get my favourite foods, without having to travel far. Review by Charlotte

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Checking the contents of my fridge recently I discovered a few tubs of natural yogurt lurking in the back.  When I checked the use-by date it was that day.

I knew I would not get a chance to use it them and was loathe to throw them out. So I decided to find out if I could freeze them.  It turns out you can. I popped them, in their containers, into the freezer.

A few weeks later I decided to cook a curry and needed, yes, you guessed correctly, natural yogurt!  I defrosted it in the fridge overnight and gave it a good stir before adding it to my dish. Yes, the curry was delicious...

Yogurt separates when thawed from frozen, so it must be stirred well before use. You could add it to smoothies, salad dressings, cakes, buns etc.

I also learnt that you can freeze small batches in an ice-cube tray. Till next time…

Geraldine Fitzpatrick

Multicultural Culinary Combinations
 
Ireland is a changed country. It is now made up of many new cultures, soon to be a wonderful melting pot, sorry about the pun. And these cultures bring their food and did you know that so many dishes are vegan? Happy Days!
 
Minestrone, is a big bean, vegetable and pasta stew. A one pot dish that needs very little except perhaps some nice crispy bread. Though, we have grown to like bread, especially that sourdough stuff, a saucy stew in Ireland is often accompanied by mashed potato.
 
So, the other day, as I started to prepare the minestrone the idea of culcannon came to mind. There was a bit of cabbage in the vegetable drawer, and we always have potatoes and onions on hand, so culcannon it would be.  A lovely ‘marriage’ of two cultures.
 
Recipe
 
Makes enough for 4 good servings.
 
INGREDIENTS for the Minestrone

• 1 large onion – sliced
• 2 cloves of garlic - sliced
• 1 tin of cannellini beans - drained
• 1 red pepper – chopped up
• 1 aubergine - cubed
• 1 celery stick – chopped small
• 1 large carrot – cut into small cubed
• 1 tin of chopped tomatoes
• A handful of elbow pasta
• A little olive oil
• 1 bay leaf and a few sprigs of thyme
• A pinch or two of sea salt at the end, but taste it first.
• And a good grind of black pepper

 
METHOD

1. Cube the aubergine, sprinkle with a little salt and set aside to weep.
2. Soften the onions and garlic then add the tomatoes and cook until it has melted with the onion, then add the carrot, celery, red pepper and garlic and cook on low heat for a few more minutes until the carrot is nearly soft.
3. In a separate pan fry the aubergine, stirring occasionally until soft and cook.
4. To a large pot combine the aubergine and the onion veggie mixture, the bay leaf and thyme, the cannellini beans and the elbow pasta and 4 cups of water – enough to cover everything and a little bit more.
5. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Once the pasta is cooked, it is ready.
6. Add a little more water at the end if it is too thick, you want a nice wet saucy stew.
7. Allow to cool slightly and taste it for salt and black pepper. 

 
 
INGREDIENTS for the Culcannon 

• 4 large potatoes – quartered
• 1 or 2 onions - sliced
• ¼ or ½ of dark green cabbage – cut into strips
• A little olive oil
• Sea salt

 
METHOD 

1. Quarter and steam, or boil the potatoes till soft. Mash them adding a little salt and tasting it that it is to your liking, then set aside.
2. To a pan on medium heat add a drizzle of olive oil and slowly soften the onions, set aside.
3. In a pot cook the cabbage in a little water until just softening, do not overcook or you will lose the great taste of dark leafy greens.
4. Mix the mashed potato, the cabbage and the onion together, taste it again, you may want another pinch of salt.

 
Serve in a deep plate or shallow bowl, with a nice ladle of the minestrone and a good measure of the colcannon. I eat a little of the two with each spoonful.
 
Bon appétit !
 
Jacques
 
@HungrySoulVegan_  - Changing the Culture

This is my go to dessert always for gatherings… you cannot go wrong. I like to change it up a bit with our ingredients here at The Urban Co-op. Here is my latest version. I really do not measure quantities so these are estimates. The crumble is quite sweet trust me!!
 
Ingredients & more

• Fresh rhubarb washed and chopped.
• A jar of vardebbi murabba paste ( quince is fab with rhubarb)
• Mix together and place in an oven proof dish.

 
Method

1. Melt 200g butter in a saucepan
2. Add 100g of succanet ( dehydrated sugar cane juice)
3. Add in about 200g of oat flakes and mix well.
4. (Ground nuts can be added here also)
5. Pour out on top of rhubarb mix loosely.
6. Pop into preheated oven 180°C for 20 minutes
7. Serve with cream… slurp…

Anne Maher

Brain Energy by Dr Christopher M. Palmer
 
I have enjoyed listening to Dr Palmer recently being interviewed about his book which is adding to the evidence that diet plays a critical role in brain health and cognitive function. Our mood and mental performance are affected directly by our dietary choices. What a surprise! Optimal brain function seems wishful thinking in our world of chronic ill health and mental health issues. Is it a case that our poor mental functioning in general has prevented us from making the link between diet and improvement of same? I find it surprising that this is news particularly in the medical world but to be fair I am seeing more lightbulb moments where diet is being given the acknowledgement it deserves and increasingly patients are being offered a dietary solution instead of a pill. This book is a very welcome addition not only for the quality of information but the genuine relatable human way Dr Chris brings it to us. Highly recommend!

Anne Maher

Whoever is involved in marketing Monster, they will be getting a rather large bonus I would say!
 
It is everywhere! A beverage of choice particularly for our teenagers I note the variety of colours and shelf space these products are taking up in the shops. Another ultra processed product displacing real food for us consumers. Clearly the profit is worth it. But at what cost to our health?? Considering up to 60% of our food choices is now ultra processed is it any wonder we struggle with health issues.
 
I’m back at the graveyard for my thoughts on real food for living… what you say? Where is the relevance?  Fascinating places to visit especially when you remember the individuals and families concerned. Sometimes their character comes through in how they are remembered. Nick names, previous names, ages, memorabilia all help to piece together the stories of their lives. More recently I note the headstones with the photos attached. A visual prompt to remember them as they were in happier healthier days. It did come as a surprise to find in recent days a memorial plaque to a recently deceased man featuring a large picture with a can of Diet Red Bull. Was this his beverage of choice I wondered? This icon sat among the family pictures smiling out at me. How far we have come with such ultra processed foods that they take pride of place at this time. Maybe it did just what it said it would.. it gave him wings…

Anne Maher

Don’t you just love the 80/20 rule! It lets us off the hook somewhat especially when it comes to diet. Eat well 80% of the time and the other 20% we can fall off the wagon so to speak. I wonder is it that simple? The Pareto Principle suggests that 20% of effort yields 80% of results and thus the need to prioritise carefully with tasks and productivity. Not to be too confusing then if we consume a diet with 20% realfood would this mean that we are 80% there in terms of outcome… ie…better health. It would seem to be a fair deal to be honest!
 
In any case to give ourselves a headstart it really does help to be immersed in an environment that supports our efforts. Monitoring the growth of ultra processed products in the supermarkets (taking up the shelf space!) it is more and more difficult to be able to find the real stuff. Our consumption patterns are showing that we are heading past 50% ultra processed foods. Increasing evidence shows that our health problems are strongly linked with the consumption of upfs. Addictive and prolific its so hard to avoid them. Getting to a check out in a supermarket is an exercise in will power…
 
Here at The Urban Co-op we actively adhere to the 80/20 rule. Less than 20% is UPF ( specially selected with the minimal amount of ingredients.) We want to give ourselves a fighting chance to stay as well as possible. This is not about will power, it is about changing our environment to support us along the way. 

Anne Maher

Something very quick and yummy.

A perfect appetizer for as party.

​The Jalapeño peppers can be quite hot, but once you remove the seeds and they are cooked, they are actually mild and very flavoursome.
 
Make these is 5 minutes and another 10 in the oven and they are ready. The only issue is you can never make enough of them 😉
  
INGREDIENTS 

• 10  Jalapeño peppers – cut in two with the seeds removed
• 1 tub of Hungry Soul – Garlic & Chives vegan cream cheese
• 10 tortilla chips – ground into crumbs
• 1 Tbsp of olive oil
• 2 scallions – finely chopped
• Homemade Sour cream – details below

 
INSTRUCTIONS

1. Pre-heat the oven to 200C
2. Split the jalapeno in two and remove the seeds or they will be too hot!
3. Mix the Garlic & Chives vegan cream cheese with the scallions and the olive oil
4. Fill each one with Garlic & Chives cream cheese
5. Cover with the tortilla crumbs
6. Place in the hot oven for 10 minutes or until the crumb starts to brown
7. Serve with a little sour cream

 
Homemade sour cream: 100 ml of vegan pouring cream, 1 to 2 tbsp of Natural Hungry Soul cream cheese, juice of half a lemon, chopped fresh chives.
 
 
Bon appétit
 
Jacques