I love this recipe because it plays fast and loose with the idea of a classic ratatouille. It is brilliant because you can really chop and change any vegetables that you have in the fridge that you really need to use up. It is also quite easy to change so that you’re cooking fairly seasonally – substituting in your seasonal veg of choice.
This week I worked with Riverford Organic Farmers. I received their large original veg box and it was filled to the brim with goodies: potatoes, tons of carrots, padron peppers, chard, mushrooms, corn, mixed green salad, pink turnip and broad beans. Since Sam and I don’t eat meat during the week, this large veg box sufficed for our weekly shop. It retails at (£18.45) and it lasted us the week. We supplemented meals with things we already had in the cupboard: grains, tins and the like, but it was lovely not to need to go shopping at all and have our kitchen full of fresh, delicious veg. (And it’s significantly cheaper than buying the same amount of organic veg in your local grocery store.)
We’ve also been having Sam’s dad stay with us, so I’ve been cooking for 3 and not 2 and it still lasted us brilliantly. If you can feed 3 adults with it, I definitely think you can feed a family of 4.
I obviously found it incredibly good value for money. But I used every last veg that was in the box. If you didn’t like several of the vegetables and threw them out then you might find it less economical. However, before placing your order for the week, you can always check on the site what is in stock that week.
Personally, I find it quite exciting to learn to cook with vegetables that I haven’t used before!
But what I really value about Riverford are its ethics. They grow as much of their produce as possible in season (and I try to eat as seasonally as possible). 72% of the vegetables that they sell are grown in England (the rest is from their French location) and 100% of the meat that they sell is raised in England. (They have a meat and dairy box as well!) In fact, one of their farms “Home Farm” in Yorkshire is reasonably local to Sam and me. They manage food waste better than more massive commercial operation farms .
And all of their food is organic, which is better for you and better for the environment, in general.
They also offer a 100% UK grown, seasonal only veg box for £13.95, which will be the box that I sign us up for!
The first recipe that I’m using the vegetables in my box for is a spicy ratatouille:
Spicy Ratatouille
Ingredients:
2 teaspoons of rapeseed oil
3 onions, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
150g of carrots, finely chopped
2 courgettes, finely sliced
100 g of mushrooms, finely chopped
2 chiles, finely chopped
1 teaspoon of oregano
a few sprigs of thyme
800 g of tinned tomatoes
400 g of tinned lentils
400g of tinned mixed beans
1 tablespoon of tomato puree
Instructions:
Heat a your oil in a large pan on your stovetop. Saute your onions for about 5 minutes, or until they start to brown.
Then add in your chiles, pepper, courgette, carrots, garlic and mushrooms. Saute for a further 10 minutes.
Then add in your herbs, lentils, beans and tomatoes. Cover and simmer gently for around 40 minutes or until all the vegetables are tender and flavourful. (Stirring regularly).
Finish with your favourite herb – basil or cilantro both work well!
How do you feel about organic vegetables? Or what tips and tricks do you have for ensuring that you get enough vegetables into your diet?
***I received this product in exchange for review, but all thoughts and feelings are forever my own.***
