1st May is a day for optimism. It’s the date of the old Celtic festival of Beltane, a celebration of fertility and Spring. May Day is also International Workers Day, a day to cultivate our socialist tendencies!
The UK apples have run out, so we’re now putting citrus fruit from Europe in the bags every week, interspersed with occasional doses of English rhubarb! Hopefully the strawberries will be back in season soonish and we’ll switch back to English fruit every week.
Last week I went to see Life After Hummus. They are a great social enterprise based in Somers Town. We send them all the leftover veg from our uncollected veg bags every Saturday afternoon. They cook it into food parcels and also redistribute any veg that will keep to local residents on low incomes. Life After Hummus are deeply committed to creating social value from food waste and have just published a really interesting report on how local and national government could help businesses and voluntary sector to collaborate on reducing food waste, tackling both hunger and carbon emissions. You can read the full report on their website: lifeafterhummus.com
Don’t forget to return your re-usable Vegbox bags and packaging. When you want to take a holiday from Vegbox, please let us know a week in advance.
Tom Steele
What’s in the bag this week?
Small bag:
Carolus potatoes – Newfields Organics, Yorkshire
Spring greens – Langridge Organics, Lincolnshire
Radish – Foskett’s, Sussex
Cavolo nero – Wild Country Organics, Cambridgeshire
Standard bag:
Leeks – Ripple Farm, Kent
Carrots – RB Organic, Norfolk
Asparagus – Bedlam Farms, Cambridgeshire
Spinach – Ripple Farm, Kent
Family bag:
Carolus potatoes – Newfields Organics, Yorkshire
Spring greens – Langridge Organics, Lincolnshire
Radish – Foskett’s, Sussex
Cavolo nero – Wild Country Organics, Cambridgeshire
Salad bag – Wild Country Organics, Cambridgeshire
Rocket – Wild Country Organics, Cambridgeshire
Mega bag:
Leeks – Ripple Farm, Kent
Carrots – RB Organic, Norfolk
Asparagus – Bedlam Farms, Cambridgeshire
Aubergine – Langridge Organics, Gloucestershire
Spinach – Ripple Farm, Kent
Salad bag – Wild Country Organics, Cambridgeshire
Rocket – Wild Country Organics, Cambridgeshire
Fruit supplement:
Oranges – Langridge Organics, Italy
Wash all veg and fruit before eating. Store carrots, leeks, spring greens, spinach, asparagus, salad leaves, cavolo nero, rocket and radish in the fridge. Protect potatoes from light to avoid sprouting.
Recipe: cavolo nero with lentils and coconut milk
I made this with green lentils, but any lentils will work, as long as you cook them till tender.
200g cavolo nero 1 leek, sliced
2 cloves garlic, chopped 100g lentils
1 can coconut milk 1 tbsp garam masala
1 tsp turmeric 1 tsp mustard seeds
2 tbsp lemon juice
- Chop the cavolo nero stems. Slice the cavolo nero leaves.
- Heat 3 tbsp light oil in a pan over medium heat.
- Add the sliced leek and cook for 10 minutes, till starting to brown.
- Add the chopped cavolo nero stems and cook for another 10 minutes.
- Add the garlic, mustard seeds, garam masala and turmeric and cook for another minute or so.
- Stir in the lentils, coconut milk, and 200ml water.
- Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Stir in the cavolo nero leaves and cook for another 5 minutes.
- Season with salt and pepper, stir in the lemon juice, and serve.
Recipe: carrot and chickpea salad
1 tbsp cumin seeds 80ml olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice 1 tbsp honey
½ tsp salt, plus more to taste 1/8 tsp chilli pepper
bunch of carrots, grated can of chickpeas, drained
100g dates, cut into chickpea sized pieces 30g mint leaves, torn
handful carrot top leaves toasted sliced almonds (optional)
dried rose petals (optional)
- Toast the cumin seeds in a dry frying pan until fragrant and lightly browned, then grind to a powder.
- To prepare the dressing, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, honey, ground cumin seeds, salt and chilli pepper.
- In a bowl, combine the grated carrots, chickpeas, date pieces and mint leaves. Include the almonds and rose petals if you’re using those.
- Toss the carrot salad with the dressing, then it’s ready.
Recipe: sautéed spinach and caramelised onions
2 tbsp coconut oil 1 leek, sliced
3 garlic cloves, chopped 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
bunch of spinach
- Heat the coconut oil in a pan on low heat.
- Add the sliced leek and cook for 10-15 minutes.
- Add the chopped garlic and cook for another 2 minutes or so.
- Meanwhile, separate the spinach leaves from the stalks, and chop the stalks into small pieces.
- Add the balsamic vinegar to deglaze the pan.
- Add the spinach stalks and cook for 10 minutes.
- Add the spinach leaves and stir until the spinach wilts, then serve.
