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Cafe-Nueva-lifestyle.jpgAs a coffee lover, buying your daily fixes of caffeine in your keep cup can become an expensive habit. Especially when you go for the best of the bunch, those that are ethical and fairtrade and so on. So it is welcome news that a new instant triple certified coffee, which protects people, planet and product is now available to pick up from your local supermarket.

Café Nueva must be the most fair ethical coffee ever sold in UK supermarkets that you can buy responsibly without having to compromise on taste, quality or price. It is triple certified; with Fairtrade, Rainforest Alliance and Organic certification, Café Nueva is the UK's first triple certified freeze dried coffee. This means that you can enjoy your morning cup of java with the peace of mind that coffee farmers and their families are fairly rewarded and that the environment in which the coffee beans are grown is protected and respected.

Café Nueva is made from the finest Peruvian beans and has an intense, rounded and smooth taste with chocolatey notes. Actually we could do with a bit of organic chocolate on the side! There is also an interesting smoky aftertaste which adds to the coffee experience.

Café Nueva is now available from selected Waitrose and Budgens stores in 100g jars from £3.29.

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As we already know, Christmas Day is closing in. Christmas Day is a perfect time for sharing - and this applies to food as well as to presents and cards. If you have a great interest in cooking then why not try creating a unique dish for your family and friends this year?

What you create over the Christmas period is entirely up to you, but cooking and backing is an integral part of the Christmas tradition. Whether you create an authentic dish or simply customise an existing recipe with festive ingredients, make sure that you have fun and get the family involved and have fun following great Christmas recipes.

Of course, Christmas dishes don't have to use the same ingredients and even pasta recipes can be adapted to show a festive influence. However, for those more interested in traditional dishes here is a brilliant recipe for Ginger Christmas Biscuits. These lovely snacks are very famous in Sweden and are commonly made in preparation for Christmas Day.

Ingredients

140g butter
2 tsp vanilla essence
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp baking powder
1 cup (160g) brown sugar
1/2 cup (175g) treacle
1/2 tsp ground cloves
Thin ribbon, to hang
2 eggs
4 cups (600g) plain flour
1 tsp ground ginger
Icing, to decorate

Method
Melt the butter, treacle, cinnamon, sugar, cloves, and ginger in a pan on a medium heat.

Mix the eggs with the vanilla essence and stir in the flour and baking powder until the mixture reaches a smooth consistency.

Combine the mixtures together to form a dough and split it into three portions.
Cover these in plastic wrap and put them in a refrigerator for two hours or until they become firm.

Prepare the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Grease and cover two baking trays with non-stick baking paper. Expand one portion of the dough between two sheets of baking paper until it is 4-5 mm thick. Use a rolling pin to achieve this.

Use Christmas cookie cutters to make the shape of your biscuits and then place them on trays. Use the piping nozzle to create a hole in each biscuit for the ribbon (which will be added at the end).

Bake in the oven for 5-10 minutes or until the dough is gold and firm.

Repeat these processes for the remaining dough.

Remove the baked cookies from the baking trays and place on a wire rack to cool.

Decorate the cooled biscuits using icing. Make sure the biscuits are fully cooled before beginning this stage and get small children to assist you.

Add a thread with ribbon to the pre-cut holes in order to hang the biscuits on the Christmas tree.

This recipe will make over fifty biscuits and is therefore perfect for families.

Those interested in baking with spices such as ginger should take a look at the range of products and recipes provided by companies such as Schwartz. These will offer useful tips on how to create the best dishes - perfect for the run-up to Christmas.


tom-hunt-feeding-the-5000.jpgWe wrote about Feeding the 5000 back in November, when the group - which is campaigning to reduce food waste in the UK and beyond - hosted a free lunch at London's Trafalgar Square to show that imperfect vegetables are still edible and make delicious meals.

One of the chefs at Feeding the 5000 was eco-chef Tom Hunt who prepared some tasty dishes for the hungry Londoners showing their support for the cause.

Tom has kindly given us the recipe for one of the dishes he made with unwanted vegetables and surplus produce to share with you. Enjoy!

Ribollita, a traditional Tuscan soup made with leftovers, perfect for cold winter evenings

Ribollita is a traditional and robust Italian dish made from leftover soup, vegetables and stale bread. This soup is incredibly versatile you can adapt the ingredients to the season and to whatever vegetables you have in your fridge.

Recipe for 10

Ingredients
1 Pig Spleen
250g Dried canellini beans or chick peas (soaked overnight and cooked for 1 hour) or 500g of cooked
½ x Heads of celery, diced
1 Bunch of parsley, roughly chopped
500g Carrots, diced
500g Red onions, diced
500g Tinned plum tomatoes or tomato sauce, chopped
5 Cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
1 x Old loaves of ciabatta or white sourdough, with the crusts removed and saved for croutons or crumbs
1,250g Kale ideally or cabbage, chard or broccoli

Olive oil to taste

Other additions could be beetroot, beans, leeks, beans

Method
First put your spleen into a small pot that has a lid and cover with stock veg and water. Simmer gently for 1 ½ hours till soft. Remove from the pan and leave to cool then slice.
Sauté the slices of spleen, celery, parsley, carrots and onions in a pan for 15 minutes on a low heat. Season with a little salt and add the garlic. Add the tomatoes and cook for a further 15 minutes.

Remove the stalks from the kale or chard, slice them finely and add them to the vegetables. Layer the remaining leaves together and roll them to make a cigar, then shred them with a large cook's knife and add them to the pot. Next add the beans and a little water, keeping a thick consistency. Simmer for a further 15 minutes.

Now tear the bread into clumps and add to the soup, season with fresh olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. Leave for a few minutes for the bread to absorb all the flavours and soften.

The soup should be very thick, robust and flavourful. The bread makes this dish hearty and good for winter.

Check out the images below from the Feeding the 5000 event - at which Mayor of London Boris Johnson made an appearance.

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Tristram Stuart, founder of Feeding the 5000

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Hungry Londoners showing support for the campaign

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Hungry?

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One potato, two potato...

Images courtesy of Tom Hunt and Feeding the 5000.

When thinking about eco-friendly Christmas dinner recipes, you'd be forgiven if you think they'd all be vegetarian. However there are lots of environmentally minded people out there who aren't vegetarian or vegan, but who want to enjoy a delicious Christmas meal with the knowledge that the meat has been ethically and sustainably sourced.

Buying locally or free range is a great way to ensure that the meat on your plate has been reared with animal welfare in mind and that is environmentally sound. A great alternative to your traditional Christmas turkey is a free range cockerel roast, and here's a recipe courtesy of Packington Free Range to get your started.

Pistachio, sage & cream cheese free range cockerel Christmas roast recipe

Cockerel_recipe.jpgPreparation time: 25 minutes plus resting
Cooking time: 2hours 30 mins or as calculated

Ingredients:
1 x 150g packet garlic and herb Boursin cheese
1 clove garlic, crushed
25g unsalted and shelled pistachio nuts, chopped
grated rind and juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tbsp fresh chopped sage
1 x 4kg Packington Free Range Cockerel
8 rashers smoked streaky bacon
olive oil
4 tbsp sherry
400 ml good chicken stock or vegetable juices

Preparation method:
Preheat the oven to 180 C/Gas Mark 4. Mix together the cheese, garlic, pistachios, lemon rind and juice, sage and seasoning until well combined.

Place the cockerel on a board and carefully ease your fingers then your hand under the skin of the cockerel at the neck end freeing it from the breast meat. Smear the cheese mixture over the breast meat under the skin. Then tuck the flap of skin underneath.

Arrange the bacon over the breast and drizzle over oil and season. Place in a large roasting tin and cover with foil. Calculate cooking time allowing 16 minutes per 450g/1lb plus 16 minutes or until juices run clear from the thigh when pierced with a knife or skewer. Remove the foil for the last 45 minutes to allow the cockerel to brown.

Remove the cockerel from the oven and transfer to a warm serving plate. Cover with foil and allow to rest for 20-30 minutes. Meanwhile skim most of the fat from the roasting pan and discard. Scrape the meat juices in the pan together. Place over a low heat and blend in sherry and stock. Bring to the boil, stirring and season to taste. Serve the gravy with the cockerel.

Packington is a farm with a traditional family heritage which spans four generations that also has an award-winning animal welfare ethos supported and accredited by the RSPCA.

Packington Free Range is sold through butchers, farm shops and restaurants across the UK, including The Ginger Pig at Borough Market and Chatsworth Estate Farm Shop in Derbyshire.

www.packingtonfreerange.co.uk

feeding-the-5000.jpgThink about this: The UK has nearly twice as much food as is required if looking at nutritional needs of its populations, while some European countries have more than three times the food they need. The US however is the big bad wolf in the food distribution debate, having around four times more food than its inhabitants need...

Food waste is a real problem in the Western world with approximately 40 million tonnes of food wasted in US households, retailers and food services each year alone - which is horrible considering there are nearly one billion malnourished people in the world. And while governments are worried about over-population and food supply issues, a lot could be done with a bit of re-distribution and more conscious thinking by all of us. How many times have you not bought vegetables that have ended up in the bin one week later because you just forgot about them? In fact, UK households waste around 25% of all the food they buy over a year. Another culprit is the 'rule' that supermarkets cannot sell 'imperfect' produce, in other words vegetables that haven't got the right shape according to cosmetics standards set by some regulatory body. Here's the shocker: they still taste the same as their perfect counterparts!

So while four million Brits and 43 million EU citizens suffer from food poverty silly rules and regulations and mindless waste keep adding to our problems.

Feeding the 5000 hope to show how easy it is to reduce the unimaginable levels of food waste in the UK and internationally, and how governments, businesses and individuals can help.

To show how bad our country's food waste is, Feeding the 5000 is hosting a free lunch for 5000 people made entirely out of fresh ingredients that would otherwise have been wasted: wonky carrots, misshapen potatoes and other fresh surplus produce.

Feeding the 5000's free lunch takes place on Friday 18th November 2011 at Trafalgar Square, London, from 12pm (noon) to 2pm. So head down there for a bite to eat and show your support. Oh and sign their pledge here!

SUSTAINATION.jpgIf you run a small food business or know someone who does jot down this name somewhere: SUSTAINATION.

"The world's food system is struggling to feed 7bn people, yet it needs to feed at least 9bn for the next few hundred years. If ever there was a time when innovation and collaboration are essential to human and ecological welfare, this is it."

The new online service has joined the dots to help small food businesses to find each other easily, talk and trade, creating local and regional food networks that have the efficiency to compete with supermarkets while creating livelihoods and preserving regional identity.

The service is free for everyone to sign up to - for now - and lets you type in a location to find nearby people who are keen to do business or you can search for produce. Think of it as a dating service for local businesses that makes it convenient and easy to find, buy, and sell local produce that will save you time and expense and helps making you more sustainable!

Check out their website for more information and follow on Facebook or say hello to @Sustaination on Twitter.

And if you're really lazy... simply click play on the video below to learn more

SUSTAINATION - Find us on www.PeopleFund.it from Ed Dowding on Vimeo.

starbucks-coffee.jpgCoffee is a big global business and many - myself included -are practically addicted to it. Unfortunately the high consumption of takeaway coffee leads to more landfill as UK coffee shops are failing to make it easy for java addicts to recycle the estimated 2.5 billion takeaway cups thrown away each year.

It is consumer group Which? that has warned the UK coffee industry of these startling figures after its investigation found that consumers are confused by the use of 'mixed materials' and end up throwing the cups in the general waste bin. Of the 2,471 people surveyed more than half admitted that they throw their paper cups in the general waste bin instead of recycling them.

keepcup.jpgOne solution to the brewing problem is to encourage people who drink their fair share of coffee to invest in reusable coffee cups and bring these with them on their daily coffee run. Starbucks is already trying to sway its customers to think more eco-friendly by offering 25p off for anyone bringing in their own cup.

If you're interested in doing your bit to reduce coffee cup waste, one brand of reusable mugs is KeepCup, the first barista standard reusable coffee cup. And you can personalise it to be any colour you like!

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battlefield-wines.jpgRemembrance Sunday is a day set aside to remember the service men and women who have given their lives in pursuit for peace and freedom. This year Remembrance Sunday - the day when poppies can be seen everywhere - falls on 13 November.

To support and raise funds for the Royal British Legion in the run up to the day FirstCape wines, Sainsbury's and Red Lion Foods have teamed up to create a new wine range named Battlefield Wines. For every bottle, 100% of post-tax profits will go to the UK forces charities and British servicemen and women.

Available exclusively from Sainbury's stores across the country, Battlefield Wines come in Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc, priced at £9.99 per bottle.

FINAL_PRODUCT1.jpgIf you regularly reach for that trusted cup of coffee to get your energy levels up during the day - or perhaps a nasty sugary energy drink which tastes as synthetic as it probably is - then you'll like this newcomer to the market.

Personally I've never been a big fan of energy drinks as they taste too sugary and synthetic and make my heart race more than what is probably healthy, so I was intrigued to hear about a natural alternative to those times when you just need a 'quick fix' - Scheckter's OrganicEnergy.

Already available in other countries, Scheckter's OrganicEnergy has just launched in the UK market and we went to meet the man behind the brand to find out more about the drink that 'harnesses the power of nature to give a real energy lift whilst also boosting mental performance'.

Founder of Scheckter's Organic Beverages and former racing driver, Toby Scheckter told us how he spent his childhood days helping out on his dad's organic farm - between racing - which taught him "a deep understanding and appreciation for the processes involved in organic farming". During his career as a racing driver and later in motorsport management, Toby realised there was a gap in the energy drinks market for a healthier alternative. Determined to do something about this Toby started the two year process of developing what is now the world's first 100% natural, organic and fairtrade approved energy drink.

So what is in Scheckter's OrganicEnergy?
Based spring water with extracts from raw green coffee beans and organic Guarana for a physical and mental boost, Ginseng to relieve stress and Gingko Biloba to help with improved mental performance, this is a naturally powerful drink.

While enjoying the view from London's Panorama Bar at Centre Point Hippyshopper was treated to a couple of Virgin cocktails that used Scheckter's OrganicEnergy as a base. All of them were equally tasty and we've included a recipe below for your enjoyment.

The drink on its own is also a delicious treat: naturally sweet with a dash of lemon and tasty pomegranate and elderberry flavours, it is a very refreshing beverage that doesn't leave a coating of sugar on your teeth. No wonder Scheckter's OrganicEnergy won a Gold Award at the Great Taste Awards 2011.

Scheckter's Organic Energy is available from Waitrose, Holland & Barrett and at health food stores nationwide for £1.45 (250ml).

Scheckter's Raspberry and Almond Collins

- Fresh raspberries and almonds
- Syrup, orange and lemon juice
- Topped up with Scheckter's OrganicEnergy


Organic month: food & drink

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It's almost the end of Organic Month, but we can't leave it behind without looking at what food and drink products are available. Beauty as they say come from within, so it is important that what you eat and drink is as natural as possible. Choosing organic produce is a great way of ensuring that you're treating your body - and mind - nicely from within as well helping contribute to the protection of wildlife and the environment.

Opting for organic means there is no hidden nasties in the product, such as artificial colourings or sweeteners, so what you see on the box is what you get. Visit the Soil Association for more info on living more organically.

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Pukka Herbs Organic Virgin Coconut Oil (£7.95)

Drinking coconut water to re-hydrate and allegedly control weight has been a favourite among celebrities for a while now, so I was curious about the benefits of coconut oil which is Miranda Kerr's secret to looking good. Kerr credits her slim figure to daily doses of coconut oil in her cooking, on her salad or in her cups of green tea.

This must surely mean that organic coconut oil is the ultimate beauty secret? Coconut is a highly nutritious food, rich in vitamins (Vitamin C, Riboflavin and Thiamine) and minerals (calcium, iron and phosphorus), and contains high levels of a particular type of fatty acid (lauric) that is known to help increase metabolism.

After you've gotten used to all your food having a slight taste of coconut, cooking with coconut oil is a delight. Especially as a little goes a long way, so you don't feel like your blood veins will clog with unhealthy fat. Have yet to try it on toast, but am sure it's delicious!

Available from Pukka Herbs.

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Rachel's Organic Yoghurt

Whether it is a sweet treat you're after or something to have on your cereal in the morning, organic yoghurt is a great addition to your daily diet - and the best at that is Rachel's Organic. Britain's first organic dairy and pioneer of branded organic dairy produce, Rachel's offer a wide range of scrumptious yoghurts. These thick and creamy yoghurts are definitely a favourite of mine!

Rachel's seasonal Special Edition Winter Fruits multipack comes in two delicious flavours; Apple and Cinnamon and Apple and Rhubarb which are perfect for an autumn treat. They're also bringing out a new Limited Edition Pineapple, Coconut & Banana flavour - certain to bring a feel of the Caribbean to the dark winter days. Yum!

Rachel's Winter Fruits multipack is available in Waitrose for £1.69, while the Pineapple, Coconut & Banana Limited Edition costs £1.59 and is available in leading supermarkets nationwide.

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Green & Black's Organics Chocolate

What better treat this autumn that some organic chocolate from Green & Black's? New of the year is that the full range of block bars and beverage products will carry a fair trade certification, with the brand having increased its financial commitment to ensuring the sustainability of the cocoa-growing communities Green & Black's rely on to source cocoa for its delicious products.

The first in organic and fair trade chocolate, Green & Black's is launching a new selection box with 12 minature signature flavour bars just in time for Christmas as well as going pink for Breakthrough Breast Cancer in October with a mouth-watering hot pink Raisin & Hazelnut bar.

The collection box is priced at £5.49 and the pink bar costs £2.29. Available in leading supermarkets nationwide or shop online.

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What's This...? Anti-oxidant Drink (£2.75/330ml)

Many will have heard of the skincare properties of aloe vera, but what about its wild cousin aloe ferox? With twice the potency of aloe vera, I was super excited to hear about a new anti-oxidant drink called What's This...? that is made with natural aloe ferox - increasingly regarded as a new superfood.

Aloe ferox is linked to many benefits, including anti-aging, reducing the risk of heart disease, cleansing the digestive system and detoxifying the body as well as soothing, healing and moisturising the skin.

The 100% natural super-ingredient drink which main ingredient is aloe ferox must be a must-have for all health conscious out there. I tried the Baobab and aloe ferox which tasted like a thick fruit juice; it was delicious. Baobab contains important vitamins, fibre and anti-oxidants and THREE times the level of calcium found in milk!

What's This...? comes in four varieties: Baobab & aloe ferox, Green rooibos & aloe ferox, Pomegranate, hibiscus & aloe ferox and Mango & aloe ferox, and is widely available in UK health food stores.

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Pukka Herbs Organic Tea (from £2.09)

Working in an office can often cause high intake levels of caffeine through a continuous supply of tea and coffee throughout the week - or is that just my office? Instead of experiencing caffeine headaches and sleepless nights, why not swap it for organic herbal teas? Specially blended by master herbalist Sebastian Pole, each of the blends is full of flavour and rich in therapeutic benefits - all designed to match your every mood and moment.

For Organic Month I tested the Three Fennel and Detox; the former one winning the coveted 'three gold stars award' and the 2011 Gold Taste Awards as well as Best Organic Food Product at this year's Natural & Organic Products show.

The Three Fennel is a blend of organic sweet fennel, wild fennel and fennel leaf tea which is specially blended to soothe digestion and reduce bloating - perfect for busy people who eat on the go and for after a heavy meal.

Both were easy on the palate and I fully enjoyed sipping them while at work and in the evenings, swapping it for my much loved coffee. Pukka Herb teas are sold in selected stores nationwide or through its website.

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Plastic bottles and the seemingly thoughtless discarding of them in this country has been a topic we've looked at many times before. One big brand that has come under fire from environmentalists for using plastic bottles - adding to landfill contribution - has announced it is finally rolling out its partially recycled bottles in the UK.

A move that is certainly going to improve its eco creds, PlantBottle bottles are made from 22.5% plan- based materials and up to 25% recycled plastics and more than 200 million are due to hit the shelves this year. This type of packaging has already been introduced in the US and carries a PlantBottle logo and on-pack messaging to explain about plastic bottles and the harm they do to thirsty consumers.

It is good that one of the biggest brands in the soft drink sector is finally taking measures to reduce its contribution to landfill. Let's hope Coco-Cola's aim to have all of its bottles made from a combination of plant based materials and recycled plastics by 2020 comes true.

The company has also enlisted Wayne Hemingway to create a limited edition umbrella that is made entirely from five plastic bottles. If you'd like to get your hands on one for the rainy season, the limited edition umbrellas are being sold exclusively at Harvey Nichols.

Organic Month: Why buying organic still matters

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food_you_can_trust.jpgThe Government's Climate Change act has committed Britain to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to an 80% reduction by 2050, with the aim of a 34% cut by 2030. While buying organic was a massive trend in the late 90s, the movement has in more recent years been pushed aside for other green ways of living such as growing your own and buying locally. But organic is not gone and forgotten and September is Organic Month.

To hit the governments targets we must all make fundamental changes to the way we farm, process, distribute prepare and eat our food over the next twenty years says the Soil Association. We all have to think about how we can encourage climate-friendly food production that is less dependent on oil-based fertilisers and pesticides

Organic farmers adhere to a strict set of standards that define what they can and can't do, and that really takes wildlife and environment protection into consideration. Check out the Soil Association website for the rules and regulations of organic farming.

But buying organic is not just about the farming, it also trickles into health and beauty products; it is about food and products that are good for you, good for animals and good for the environment - it is a way of life. Throughout September we'll bring you stories to tie in with living an organic lifestyle and what you can do to get involved. So keep checking in!

Banrock Station Living Billboard Supporting Natural England 6.jpg

The summer might have washed away; the rain stopping us from bringing our wine and cheese filled picnic hampers to the flowery meadows. But just because we can't enjoy them right now that doesn't mean we should stop thinking about our beautiful British wildflowers.

Wildflowers play a crucial role in the eco system by providing nectar and pollen for bees and butterflies. So it goes without saying that the meadows need a bit of TLC all year round to keep healthy - after all there is always next summer!

To mark their support of Natural England and to launch a bid to preserve 2,100 acres of British wildflower meadows, wine brand - and long-time eco-friend - Banrock Station has created the world's first living billboard made up of 800 native British plants from 14 species! The wine maker is also launching a special edition wine which will give Natural England £30,000 to help protect and enhance wildflower meadows.

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Made with 80% post-industrial recycled material, the board is currently on display outside the Westfield Shopping Centre and aside from offering a colourful view it encourages shoppers to 'give nature a helping hand' and water the flowers to help them grow. If you want to test your green fingers you have to hurry though; it's only up until the end of the Bank Holiday weekend! Afterwards the flowers will be replanted in local communities to ensure they can flourish long after you have finished your bottle of wine.

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Simon Huguet, Principal Adviser for National Nature Reserves at Natural England said; "We are delighted to work with Banrock Station and thrilled at their support for wildflower meadows on our National Nature Reserves. Home to many rare plants, traditional meadows provide vital habitat for birds, bees and small animals and are wonderful places to visit. In recent years they have become a rare sight across our countryside and it is great to see these special places getting a helping hand."

So there you go, now you can enjoy wine AND do good! And if you want to get some free seeds courtesy of Banrock Station to grow your own flowers for bees and butterflies check out their Facebook page. You can also see a video of how the flower wall was made by clicking here.

Don't worry, no flowers were harmed in the making of this article.

nvw-logo.jpgDespite being stuck in the office for most of National Vegetarian Week, 23 to 29 May (shouldn't we all be out and about doing a bit of urban gardening or enjoying a glass of cold organic apple cider this sunny Wednesday 25 May - it is in London at least!), there are lots of things you can do to make it a bit more fun.

Share vegetarian recipes with your work colleagues. Not only is this a great way to spread the word about how fantastic vegetables are, but also a good way to try new dishes!

Use Google to locate a vegetarian eatery near your office and get everyone (or the colleagues you like best) to go for lunch together. Not only could it be a new experience, it will give you some time out of the office to chat to the people you spent most of your time with. Who knows, you might learn something new about them! If you live or work in the capital, check out our top 5 vegetarian restaurants in London.

Alternatively, head to your local Lush store during your lunch break and let the cheerful staff guide you through some of their products. Tip: they will give you a hand massage if you show interest in their massage bars! The perfect way to get rid of some stress and you might even find yourself leaving with a sample or two.

Recipes: Go vegetarian with Pink Lady apples

Comments (6)

Pink Lady apples are my favourite kind of apples. So when I came across these recipes they've put together for National Vegetarian Week, 23 to 29 May, I felt a need to share - who knew you could have apples for starters, main AND dessert!

According to The American Dietetic Association, vegetarians have lower rates of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, obesity and other health problems so going vegetarian makes sense from a health point of view. Whether you're already following a veggie lifestyle like Annie Lennox, Alexa Chung and Leona Lewis, or just thinking about increasing the amount of fruit and vegetables in your diet, why not try out some of these tempting Pink Lady recipes for a start.

Honey Dried Pink Lady® Apple Crisps

pink-lady-crisps.jpgYou'll love these delicious, honey coated slices of dried apple. They are simply divine especially when you need a sugar hit with the hunny and natural sweetness of Pink Lady® apples working together - avoid the chocolate bar and head straight for the apple crisps!

Serves 4

Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes, plus cooling

You'll need:
2 tbsp runny honey
2 Pink Lady® apples, unpeeled

What to do:

Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 4/180°C/fan oven 140°C. Warm the honey in a small saucepan over a low heat until runny.

Using a sharp knife, thinly slice the apples into rounds about 3 mm thick. Discard any pips (leave the core) then arrange on a wire rack placed over a baking tray. Brush one side with half of the honey.

Bake the apples for 15 minutes, turn over and brush the other side with the remaining honey. Bake for another 10-15 minutes or until light golden and crisp.

Lay out the apples on a sheet of baking parchment and leave to cool.

Pink Lady® Apple, Cambozola and Walnut Risotto

pink-lady-risotto.jpgCambozola is a combination of camembert and gorgonzola and is a delicate cheese that combines beautifully with the sweet Pink Lady® apple. An unusual idea for a risotto, but with the classic flavour combinations of walnuts, apple and blue cheese it will be sure to impress any diner!

Serves 4

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes

You'll need:
750ml vegetable stock
25g butter
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
300g Arborio risotto rice
1 Pink Lady® apple, cored and diced
100g cambozola, diced
50g soft goats cheese
50g grated parmesan cheese
2 tbsp chopped fresh oregano leaves
50g walnuts, toasted and chopped

What to do:

Put the vegetable stock into a saucepan and bring to the boil, keep on a low heat on the hob.

Meanwhile put the butter and oil in a pan and gently cook the onion and garlic for 3-4 minutes until softened. Add the rice and stir to coat in the butter. Add a spoonful of stock and gently cook until the stock is absorbed, stirring occasionally. Keep adding the stock gradually a ladleful at a time until the rice is al dente, this will take about 18 minutes.

Then add the Pink Lady® apple, cheeses, oregano and walnuts and put a lid on the pan. Remove from the heat and set aside for 5 minutes. Check seasoning, stir through and serve immediately.

Pink Lady® Apple Toffee Tart

pink-lady-apple-tart.jpgPink Lady ® apples are grown in America, and to pay a tribute this is our apple version of the classic American banoffee pie. Light crisp filo pastry encases sweet crunchy pink lady apple slices and truly scrumptious toffee sauce. The easiest tart you can make.

Serves 8

Preparation time: 10-15 mins
Cooking time: 15-30 mins, plus cooling

You'll need:
50 g butter, melted
8 x 25 g filo pastry sheets (approx. 24 cm x 25 cm)
1 x 397 g tin dulce du leche
2 Pink Lady® apples, cored and finely sliced
2 tsp caster sugar
15 g flaked almonds

What to do:

Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan oven/gas mark 4 and put a baking tray in the oven to preheat. Brush the inside of a loose bottom 20 cm cake tin with a little melted butter.

Put one sheet of filo pastry onto a clean work surface and brush all over with butter. Lay another sheet of filo pastry on top, slightly offsetting the corners. Repeat with butter and remaining filo pastry sheets.

Take the filo pastry stack and use to line the cake tin, allowing the edges of the pastry to hand over the edge. Spread the dulce du leche all over the base of the pastry.

Arrange the apple slices all over the top of the dulce du leche in circles, slightly overlapping the slices. Scrunch the over-hanging pastry over the top of the apples.

Brush all over with a little butter, sprinkle with the sugar and almonds and bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes until golden and pastry is cooked. Leave to cool for 10 minutes before serving.

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