This is the time of the year for nettles. They are shooting out of the ground.
 
I was discussing the nutritional value of nettles with my brother, who said, “ nettles, they have nothing in them!”. As is my way, I kindly informed them of their mistake. Unconvinced, they Googled and, to their amazement, had to admit that I was right!
 
Nettles … an Irish superfood.
 
This recipe was inspired by a friend who posted a few food photos of nettle soup she had made. In the bowl were a few dollops of Hungry Soul … what a great idea. Using a culinary licence, I have borrowed the essence and reproduced it here.
 
Enough for 4 Hungry Souls
 
INGREDIENTS

• 1 onion - finely chopped
• 1 celery stick - finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves - minced
• 2 medium potatoes, scrubbed and cubed ( use organic and leave the skins on )
• Nettles - As many leaves to fill your colander ( I would say two big handfuls but that would sting too much !)
• A little salt
• A few tbsp of Natural Hungry Soul soft cheese
• Water to cover the veggies and a little more
• A little salt to taste

 
METHOD 

• Rinse the nettle leaves and, while still wet, wilt them in a pan on medium heat. You want them cooked nice and soft, if needed add a little more water.
• Place them onto a cutting board and mince them with a good, sharp knife … keep chopping until they are like a sauce.
• In your pot, soften the onion, celery and garlic in a drop of oil. After a few minutes, add the potato cubes, stir well and allow to cook for a minute or two, then add enough water to cover everything and about another cm above that.
• Bring to the boil, then simmer for 10 minutes.
• Remove from the heat, add two tbsp of the Hungry Soul soft cheese and taste; you may want a little more salt.

 
When serving, you can garnish each bowl with another tsp of that special soft cheese.
 
 
NOTE:   A video showing it made is available on the Instagram, go to @hungrysoulvegan_  Just scroll down through the posts, and you will find it.
 ​
  
HUNGRY SOUL  - Making it easier and tastier to adopt that vegan diet the world hungers for!

Jacques Brennan

Sometimes the best zero waste ideas come straight from our customers, and this one is too good not to share. One customer told me how she makes the most of a large 2.5kg tin of chickpeas, turning it into a weekly staple with very little waste.

When she gets the tin home, she drains and rinses the chickpeas, then pats them dry. From there, she portions them into freezer bags in sizes she knows she will use. This means she always has ready to go chickpeas on hand, without the risk of any going off in the fridge.

Each week, she takes out a portion to make fresh hummus. It’s quick, easy and far more economical than buying smaller tins or pre made options. It also cuts down on packaging and makes meal prep that bit simpler.

It’s such a practical reminder that buying in bulk can work really well when you have a simple system in place. A little bit of preparation at the start means less waste, more convenience and delicious homemade food throughout the week.

Small habits like this can make a big difference, and we love seeing these ideas shared within our community.

​Geraldine Fitzpatrick

This month’s favourite comes from a conversation with one of our Italian customers, who shared a simple way he uses einkorn flour at home. Einkorn is one of the oldest grains still in use today, grown in much the same way for thousands of years. It hasn’t been heavily modified like modern wheat, which is why many people find it easier to work with and to digest.

What stood out to me was how straightforward his approach is. No yeast, no waiting around, just a quick dough and into the oven. It is a nice reminder that good food can be simple, and that sometimes the best ideas come from how people cook in their own kitchens.

​Here is his recipe for an easy, everyday pizza.

I've discovered that pizza can easily be made without using yeast. Just make the dough like you would for soda bread! I suggest to use wholemeal flour, which makes pizza very digestible (try it out, you won't believe it!) Pizza base made out of wholemeal flour tends to break, though, because of fibres, but here's the trick: Einkorn flour! This ancient grain makes for a pretty soft base, despite being fully wholemeal, because of its fantastic properties, which have been (luckily!) left untouched by humankind for millennia (among which is being well tolerated by people with gluten sensitivity).
 
The recipe is very simple, and it takes just 30 minutes:

1. make the dough like soda bread (I use bread soda and some lemon juice, if I don't have buttermilk at hand - for reference, 1 bread soda teaspoon is enough for half a kg flour, so don't use too much)
2. make the base, thin is better (it will raise a bit while properly cooking inside) - you can just press the dough with your fingers from the centre towards the edge, while rotating the dough, no tools needed and it's fun!
3. add toppings as tou wish (don't forget a bit of extra-virgin olive oil, that's the Italian touch!)
4. for added flavour, sprinkle with thyme
5. cook 15 minutes at 220°C

 
If you want to add mozzarella cheese (buffalo mozzarella is best, like our excellent Italian buffalo mozzarella from Sora), add it halfway through cooking, so it melts without burning (open the oven, carefully pull out the tray halfway with oven gloves, quickly add mozzarella pieces, push the tray back)
 
That's it! Simple, healthy, and so quick to make and digestible you can have it at lunch any day!

Review and recipe by Gianni

Bechamp or Pasteur? A Lost Chapter in the History of Biology by Ethel Hume

Germ theory underpins our view of disease. You may not be familiar with the concept of Bechampisation, but I am sure you understand what Pasteurisation is?!
 
It is time to look back at history to set a few records straight. Our Book recommendation looks more deeply into the battle between the Germ & Terrain Theories. Follow the science, they say, but which science and whose agenda?
 
This will be a thought-provoking read, but one that is overdue!
 
This book is a compelling and thorough account of Pasteur's plagiarism and scientific fraud. It contains the evidence of the false grounds on which the germ theory of disease was elevated to its current status as a dogma, and beyond question. In this forgotten chapter of the history of biology and medicine, we are shown how powerful interests and agendas have prevailed over genuine science. Here are strong reminders of the powers which control the pharmaceutical and regulatory industries to this day.
 
Hume details the contention between Béchamp and Pasteur, and presents ample references to the source material and supporting evidence. No claim is left undocumented or unsupported. Both authors are clearly not fans of Pasteur or his corruption of scientific principles, and they declare their intentions openly. They seek to undo a massive medical and scientific fraud. This new edition of their work is presented with the same intent.
 
The real facts, which have been suppressed for so long, should be revealed to the world. Modern science needs to return to this bifurcation point and take the pleomorphic path. When this phenomenon is truly understood, many aspects of modern medical thought will disappear, as do all things which outlive their usefulness. In Béchamp's work, we can see on display the foundations of quantum biology and epigenetics, which inform the work of such modern researchers as Joe Dispenza, Gregg Braden, and Bruce Lipton.
 
This is a foundational text of the new biology, and should be required reading for anyone seeking to understand how the body actually functions and heals. This book should be read by every doctor, health professional, nutritionist, and biologist.

​Anne Maher

It is no surprise I am a fan of pancakes. Mostly because they are a way to get maximum nourishment with minimum effort. I’m not talking about the hijacked ultra-processed versions we see once a year in the supermarkets. Here it is a way to mix eggs with something to make a batter and cook it in butter on a pan…

My latest is chicken pancakes. You may be lucky enough to get the organic chicken in recently. One way to use up leftovers (!) is to make these delish snacks.. Ideal as a high protein breakfast… I keep it simple, but you can add any extras you want.
 
Ingredients

• Cooked chicken pieces
• 3 eggs
• A pinch of cayenne pepper

 
Blend until you get a smooth batter. Heat some butter on the pan and pour the batter to shape small pancakes. Cook on one side until set. Turn over and cook on the other side. They will be thick, so it may take a few minutes to cook…  Serve with butter ( of course).
 
Anne Maher

Thinking a lot lately about the Terrain theory. There is so much more to learn about this but hey every day is a school day. You’ll notice the theme running through though and there are many conversations being had about it inside.
 
Germ theory is our go to for the current health system. A bacteria/fungus/mold/virus invades and we get sick. We test for the presence of said germs with a repertoire of lab work and proxy markers. A positive result initiates a consequence…medication, surgery, culling. Trust the science they say… in reality we place far too much trust in the TEST.
 
Speaking to farmers about the compulsory TB testing, I can only imagine the horror of finding that the herd reacts to the test and has to be put down. The farmer gets a nominal compensation. But animals end up in the food system and profit is made. So it is a lucrative concept. But not for the farmer. No wonder they question the validity of this process of animal health.
 
We all became familiar with PCR testing in recent years. How society had to behave on the result of a tiny window demonstrating thin lines..
 
What about all the false positives of testing and screening? 1 in 10 mammograms give a false positive. Our brains fill in the gaps of fear associated with a positive result. Our bodies are traumatised enough with the processes involved with “healthcare”. Such fear and stress has a negative effect on our healing capacity.  Does the end justify the means? I guess so if your business relies on making money from it.
 
Screening is justified as essential to help pick up cancer etc.. but what about the side effects of the screening process? Interventions are well intentioned but are there are always unintended consequences… life teaches us this lesson time and time again.
 
Like regenerative farming we need to cultivate a way to recognise how to improve our terrain. Nature often does the heavy lifting as these farmers are finding out. We can apply the same principles to ourselves.
 
Don’t expect to heal if you keep insulting your body. A pill, a surgery may only provide a temporary solution and suppress the symptom of your body trying hard to help you heal. We have been encouraged to hand over our trust to a system and disregard our own intuition. The consequences may be worse in the long run.
 
Like modern farming with chemicals…the solution is temporary, the system benefits and the long term harm is catastrophic. Returning to the intuition of nature is a leap of faith and tradition. Often it is simply the basics and letting nature take over. Sleep, sunshine, nourishing food, connection. 

Anne Maher

Cleaning ovens is not something I do often. But when our oven did give up the ghost recently. The plan is to fix and repair. Tempting though it was to replace with a shiny new oven I figured a good clean would go a long way. I resorted to a deep clean with elbow grease and determination. So out came the bread soda and scourer. How satisfying this all was! Instead of mental work I had time to imagine and remember again. I had time to think about all the meals that this oven had manifested. The family meals, the friends over. The disasters and triumphs. Stubborn stains were met with some gratitude to be honest. I pondered on those TV chef kitchens that show immaculate racks and wondered how on earth they manage that.
 
Despite the air fryer mania and using one occasionally my relationship with the oven is long-term and lasting. One tray meals that work away without me looking over them.
 
When the oven is put back together again with some new parts I look forward to more of the same. I promise to clean it more often!! Really! 

Anne Maher