green meanies?
So the clocks went back, we had the first snow (how bizarre was THAT?!), and now the leeks are even sweeter and the parsnips are arriving for the winter in droves.
There’s no denying it, the season has well and truly shifted … it is the time of mash and stews and chunky soups. And sprrrrrrrrrrrouts.
Love ‘em or hate ‘em (perhaps sprouts are the marmite of seasonal food?), they are here for a while, and likely to start making appearances in your vegbox. So in honour of these much-maligned little greenies, we thought we would run a VBR competition to find that recipe worth its weight in gold … the one that will convert sprout-loathers across the Northern hemisphere over the next few months.
We will officially launch the competition with the November newsletter and announce the winners in December in time for the festive season. Meantime, thinking caps on, friends. And if you get some in your box, start experimenting! The person who submits the most delicious suggestion (I can’t believe I am going to have to test drive all your submissions) will win a special prize and free membership to the VegBox Recipes Club.
So, going back to my roots before I sign off, I wanted to ask for your help.
The root in question was beetroot. Earlier in the week I decided that it was finally time to dust off my baking tins and try a chocolate and beetroot creation. I used gluten free flour, agave nectar instead of sugar and carotino oil instead of butter. And it was truly horrible. In fact my sister was adamant that it no longer classified as a food stuff.
I think the main problem was the carotino oil and the agave nectar, as I had struggled to find guidelines for substitution amounts.
And I’m hoping that’s where you folks come in. Where do you go when you want to make substitutions for less traditional ingredients and don’t know how much to swap in?
mind your clothes!
Meantime, I will leave you with a link to my favourite beetroot recipe:
Pink Mash – sent in by Natasha Mangion and always a winner in our house!
TOP TIP: use baked rather than boiled potatoes, remembering to rub the skins with oil and salt, then scoop the pink mash back into the skins, grate over some cheese, melt under the grill and serve.
If I want to make substitutions and am not sure on quantities, the easiest thing to do is get out your favourite cook books and see what other recipes use as alternatives. I am a great believer in recipes rather than going by instinct. Food is expensive – too expensive to mess about and spoil it which ends up in the whole lot going in the bin.