Inauthentic Fajitas are all the rage in our house!  What is an inauthentic fajita, I hear you ask.... Well is chicken, with onions, peppers, seasoning and any other vegetable I can find in the kitchen.

Broccoli, cauliflower, courgettes, carrots, asparagus, green beans etc are often in the mix! Any fussed eaters can remove what they don't like.  The amount's are measured by eye, and any leftovers are put in lunch boxes for the next day.

I make my own fajita seasoning and use as needed.

Ingredients

• Chopped chicken breast
• Sliced onion or leek or 2/3 spring onions 
• Crushed garlic clove
• Chop any vegetable you like into bite size pieces (amounts are depending on the number you are cooking for)
• Olive oil for cooking
• Fajita seasoning 1-2 teaspoons, or per taste
• Chipotle Chilli Paste 1/2 - 1 teaspon, or per taste (I use the Gran Luchito brand)
• Tortillas
• Optional - rice with fresh corriander and lime juice and soured cream

Fajita Seasoning

• 1 tbsp hot chilli powder
• 4 tbsp sweet smoked paprika
• 2 tbsp ground cumin
• 2 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp ground coriander
• 2 heaped tbsp dried oregano

Method
Put all ingredients into a jar, stir to combine. Use as you require, usually 1 teaspoon at a time according to taste.

Instructions

• Heat olive oil in a large frying or sautepan
• Add chicken and cook for about 5 minutes, longer if necessary
• Once cooked remove the chicken
• On high heat add garlic and vegetables to pan
• You may need to add some water if the frying pan is getting too dry
• Cook for 5-8 minutes (vegetable dependent)
• Add the chicken back to the pan
• Add 1 - 2 teaspoons of Fajita Seasoning
• Add 1/2 teaspoon of Chipotle Chilli Paste
• Stir and heat through for a few minutes
• Cook tortilla according to pack instructions
• Tip the contents of the frying pan onto a big plate and get everyone to construct their own inauthentic fajita and enjoy!

Geraldine Fitzpatrick

Maybe one of the tastiest dish you will ever make!
… and it will take you all of 5 minutes.
 
I make this at home all the time.
 
It is just so easy and very very very good, ( the multiple ‘very’ is not a typo ).  With tomato, garlic and olive oil, you have an amazing taste combination. The addition of the basil is good but not essential and neither is the lick of Hungry Soul vegan cream cheese … but they do add something different, so why not.
 
Enough for 4 people – two Bruschetta each
( or for two people with a bottle of red wine and a candle … you won’t need much else )
 
INGREDIENTS:

• One punnet of cherry tomatoes ( ripe, off the vine ones are the sweetest)
• 2 to 3 cloves of garlic
• A drizzle of olive oil
• a few fresh basil leaves
• a few tbsp of Original & Natural Hungry Soul
• Toasted bread – a light sourdough baguette works very well

 
 
METHOD

1. Chop up the cherry to tomatoes in 8 ( more or less ).
2. Minced the garlic and mix it in with the tomatoes.
   Allow to sit a few minutes, I find the acidic tomatoes temper the garlic a little.
3. Add a drizzle of olive oil, but not too much.
4. Chop up the basil and add it.
5. Toast slices of baguette.
6. Spread a thin layer of Original Hungry Soul cream cheese on them.
7. Mount as much tomatoes mixture as the bread will hold.

Bon appétit !
 
Jacques

Recent years have seen us bring in more Irish salt on our shelves. We are an island so the idea of local sea salt being developed and brought to market is a joy to see. From an essential food substance that has been overly processed to reduce its cost and maximise its use in industry, sodium chloride (good old Saxa) is millions of miles away from the complexity of real salt. We have internalized the messages that say (processed) salt is bad for us. We need to separate the demonized food from the elixir that enhances our health. Salt is one of those amazing gifts of nature we have learned to harness and appreciate. We see the rising tide of appreciation growing every day. The shelf space dedicated to it echoes this trend too. Move over MSG. Your time is up!
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Anne Maher

The Power of Organic Fitness by Colman J Power

Colman is a big fan of The Urban Co-op and the feeling is mutual! The Power of Organic Fitness is a testament to his approach to health. Putting a book together to get his message out is just one of his energetic ways of communicating with his audience! Get on the good stuff! His regular social media presence is full of positivity and energy giving a glimpse of what is possible when we make the simple changes he recommends. Colman is a national treasure and an inspiration to us all! 

Anne Maher

​The organic beef burgers are loved by all in our house, even the visitors ask where's the beef from!  It's such a tasty and quick dinner to put together. Thank you to all the local farmers. Reveiw by Naoise
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Let us know which of our products are your favourites and why
Email Geraldine [email protected]

Choices, choices! One of the things that has bothered me for years is the huge choice of edible substances available to consume in the retail sector. I admit to being semi institutionalized here at The Urban Co-op so that aside I do note the rising tide of members who recognise they are more and more overwhelmed with the choices available to them and how stressful it actually is to shop. People tell us they shop with us because it is less stressful and that they have made the decision to support us because they actually enjoy the experience again. From actually being able to find a product that is actually food on its own too trusting it will actually feed you. Who knew it was all so complicated.
Here at The Urban Co-op we actively try to limit choices of products to minimize this stress and overwhelm. So when you can only get three types of yoghurt know that we have your best interests at heart!
​
Anne Maher
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A friend of mine was over for dinner a while back…
 
When we met again, he first asked me, “ how did you make that avocado salad?” … these are food friendships!  I had to think a second, much of my cooking recipes and ideas are done on the spot. I have one or two ingredients in mind, one often involves garlic ;) and with a vegetable or a fruit, I devise a dish.
 
But not this one. This is a recipe that dates back almost 60 years. We lived in Africa when I was a boy and one of the great things about Africa is the taste and size of vegetables. Avocados were always big and plentiful as were tomatoes. I remember my mother making this very simple salad – avocado cubed, ripe tomato and a little French vinaigrette.
 
For 2 – a little salad for that tête à tête …
 
INGREDIENTS 

• 1 large ripe avocado - Cubed
• 2 ripe tomatoes or a handle of cherry tomatoes - cubed

Note: the tomatoes are best if the skins are soft otherwise they are too hard for the soft avocado

​METHOD

• ½ a clove of garlic – minced
• A little olive oil
• A drizzle of apple cider vinegar ( a squeeze of lemon would do nicely as well)
• A pinch of sea salt
• A few basil leaves

 
INSTRUCTIONS

1. First mix the chopped tomato with minced garlic, this will reduce the strength of the garlic
2. Then add the avocado and the basil leaves.
3. Drizzle a little olive oil, a tbsp or two, the same amount of cider vinegar and a pinch of salt.
4. Mix it all together et voila!

 
A very simple salad, easy to make and always good! Perfect for that hot summer evening meal.
 
Bon appétit !
 
Jacques
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