Eating for Net Zero

Help Tackle Climate Change One Meal at a Time

Some of our favourite recipes:

Tahinobiskoto

Georgina Hayden’s recipe for tahinobiskoto – tahini, almond and honey cookies.

‘In the canon of store-cupboard bakes, this is the most store-cupboard thing I have ever come up with: these cookies consist of very few ingredients and come together in next to no time. Think of these as Greek amaretti (the soft chewy kind). If you can get hold of black sesame seeds, then use a mixture as it looks striking. If not, don’t worry as it doesn’t make a noticeable difference to the flavour.
While they are wonderful any time of the year, tahinobiskoto are an excellent Christmas offering. They’re embarrassingly easy to throw together, and keep well in a sealed container or bag. You could even drizzle with a little dark chocolate before sprinkling with more sesame seeds, if you like.’

Makes 12

Ingredients

Ground almonds 150g
baking powder 1 tsp
fine sea salt ¼ tsp
tahini 100g
honey 90g (or agave or vegan “honey”)
sesame seeds 15g, a mixture of black and white, ideally

Method

Preheat your oven to 160C fan/gas mark 4. Line two baking sheets with greaseproof paper. Whisk together the ground almonds, baking powder and sea salt. Add the tahini and honey and beat together until smooth.

Place the sesame seeds in a bowl or on a small plate. Divide the mixture into 12 and roll into balls in your hand. Roll each ball lightly in the sesame seeds and place on the lined baking sheet. Leave a good few centimetres between them as they can spread.

Press down a little on each ball to flatten slightly. Bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes, or until the biscuits are lightly golden around the edge. Leave to cool on the tray for 5 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack.

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Beetroot, Chickpea and Coconut Curry

From The Green Roasting Tin

Roasted spiced beetroot and chickpeas form the base for this dish, while the coconut

milk reduces down quickly in a hot oven to make a simple and delicious curry sauce. Serve with rice or naan bread to create a filling meal.

Ingredients

1 onion, roughly chopped
600g beetroot, peeled and cut into small wedges
1 x 400g tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 cloves garlic, crushed
5cm ginger, grated
1 red chilli, roughly chopped
1 heaped tsp ground cumin
1 heaped tsp ground coriander
1 heaped tsp ground ginger
½ tsp ground turmeric
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp sea salt
1 x 400g tin coconut milk
To serve:
Basmati rice or naan breads
A handful of fresh coriander
Coconut flakes (optional)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C fan/200°C/ gas 6.

2. Mix the onion, beetroot and chickpeas in a roasting tin with the garlic, ginger, chilli, spices, oil and salt, then transfer to the oven and roast for 40 minutes.

3. Give the coconut milk a good stir, then pour it over the beetroot and mix well. Return the roasting tin to the oven for 10 minutes.

4. Taste and season with more salt as needed and serve with rice or naan, scattered with fresh coriander and coconut flakes, if using.

Note: You might want to use gloves while you’re preparing the beetroot, to avoid stained hands.

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Chickpea Curry

Ingredients

For the paste

  • 2 tbsp oil
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 tsp fresh or dried chilli, to taste
  • 9 garlic cloves (approx 1 small bulb of garlic)
  • thumb-sized piece ginger, peeled
  • 1 tbsp ground coriander
  • 2 tbsp ground cumin
  • 1 tbsp garam masala
  • 2 tbsp tomato purée

For the curry

  • 2 x 400g cans chickpeas, drained
  • 400g can chopped tomatoes
  • 100g creamed coconut
  • ½ small pack coriander, chopped, plus extra to garnish
  • 100g spinach

To serve

  • cooked rice and/or dahl

Method

  • STEP 1: To make the paste, heat a little of the 2 tbsp oil in a frying pan, add 1 diced onion and 1 tsp fresh or dried chilli, and cook until softened, about 8 mins.
  • STEP 2: In a food processor, combine 9 garlic cloves, a thumb-sized piece of peeled ginger and the remaining oil, then add 1 tbsp ground coriander, 2 tbsp ground cumin, 1 tbsp garam masala, 2 tbsp tomato purée, ½ tsp salt and the fried onion. Blend to a smooth paste – add a drop of water or more oil, if needed.
  • STEP 3: Cook the paste in a medium saucepan for 2 mins over a medium-high heat, stirring occasionally so it doesn’t stick.
  • STEP 4: Tip in two 400g cans drained chickpeas and a 400g can chopped tomatoes, and simmer for 5 mins until reduced down.
  • STEP 5: Add 100g creamed coconut with a little water, cook for 5 mins more, then add ½ small pack chopped coriander and 100g spinach, and cook until wilted.
  • STEP 6: Garnish with extra coriander and serve with rice or dhal (or both).

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Sweet Potato, Veg and Feta One Tray Bake

INGREDIENTS

2 sweet potatoes, skin on and cut into chunks

1 beetroot skin on and cut into chunks (optional)

10 cherry tomatoes, halved or 1/2 tin chopped tomatoes

1 red pepper in strips

1 courgette, cut into 2cm-thick slices (optional)

1 red onion, cut into 8 wedges

100g feta cheese

Dressing

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp balsamic

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp mixed herbs or thyme or oregano

Black pepper

Method

Microwave sweet pots for 5 minutes & beetroot for 7minutes (add former after beets done for 2 mins) in microwave with a little water and drain.  Then put all ingredients in pyrex dish and cooked on jacket potato setting for 4 potatoes (2 if no beetroot).

(Adapted from https://www.tinybudgetcooking.com/recipes/sweet-potato-veg-and-feta-one-tray-bake)  

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Cauliflower, olive & lentil tagine

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp rapeseed oil
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 2 garlic clove, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp chilli powder
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 2 tsp ground coriander
  • 400g can chopped tomatoes
  • 1 lemon, zest removed with a potato peeler then chopped
  • 2 tbsp tomato purée
  • 12 Kalamata olives, halved
  • 1 tbsp vegetable bouillon powder
  • 4  large carrots, cut into batons
  • 1 small cauliflower, cut into florets
  • 400g can green lentils
  • ⅓ small pack fresh coriander, chopped
  • 200g bulgur wheat

Method

  • STEP 1

    Heat the oil in a large frying pan add the onion and garlic and stir-fry briefly to soften them a little. Add the spices, then pour in the tomatoes with 1 can of water then stir in the chopped lemon zest, tomato purée, olives and bouillon powder. Add the carrots and cauliflower to the pan then cover and cook for 15 mins until they are just tender. Stir in the lentils with the liquid from the can and the coriander.

  • STEP 2

    While the tagine is cooking, cook the bulgur following pack instructions. If you’re doing the Healthy Diet Plan, serve half with half of the tagine and chill the remainder for another night.

    taken from: https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/cauliflower-olive-lentil-tagine

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    TURKISH RED LENTIL SOUP

    Smooth, spicy, and nutritious, Turkish Red Lentil Soup is simple to make and is best served with a squeeze of lemon and drizzle of paprika-infused oil.
    Author: Lands & Flavors

    INGREDIENTS

    For the Soup:
    • 1 cup red lentils
    • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
    • 1 large onion, finely diced
    • 1 large carrot, diced
    • 1 heaping Tablespoon tomato paste
    • 2 teaspoons cumin
    • 1 teaspoon paprika
    • ½ teaspoon dried mint
    • ½ teaspoon thyme or oregano
    • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
    • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (Turkish pul biber is great if you can get it)
    • 8 cups water
    • 4 teaspoons vegetable broth powder, or replace 4 cups of the water with 4 cups of a prepared vegetable broth
    • ½ teaspoon sea salt (or more to taste, depends on the saltiness of your broth)
    For the Paprika Oil:
    • 3 Tablespoons olive oil
    • 1½ teaspoons paprika
    • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

    Instructions

    1. Pick through your lentils for any foreign debris, rinse them 2 or 3 times, drain, and set aside.
    2. In a large pot over medium-high heat, sauté the olive oil and the onion with a pinch of salt for 3 minutes. Add the carrots and sauté for another 3 minutes.
    3. Add the tomato paste and stir it around for around 1 minute. Now add the cumin, paprika, mint, thyme, black pepper, and red pepper and sauté for 10 seconds to bloom the spices. Immediately add the lentils, water, broth, and salt. Bring the soup to a boil.
    4. After it has come to a boil, reduce heat to medium, cover the pot halfway, and cook for 15-20 minutes or until the lentils have fallen apart and the carrots are completely cooked.
    5. In the meanwhile make the paprika oil by swirling together the olive oil, paprika, and red pepper in a small sauce pan over medium heat. The moment you see the paprika starting to bubble, remove the pan from the heat. It’s done.
    6. After the soup has cooked and the lentils are tender, blend the soup either in a blender or simply use a hand blender to reach the consistency you desire. Taste for seasoning and add more salt if necessary.
    7. Serve the soup with a drizzle of paprika oil, wedges of lemon, and extra mint and red pepper for everyone to customize to their taste.

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