Discover Organic Cookbook Review

Discover Organic, is the new cookbook by the Organic Trade Board’s Why I Love Organic campaign, and can be purchased from Waitrose stores across the UK (RRP £14.99).  I was lucky enough to be sent a copy of this fabulous cookbook to review.

It's a beautifully illustrated cookbook that features 70 delicious recipes from well-known personalities and TV chefs including BBC presenter Kate Humble, Boxer David Haye, Chefs Raymond Blanc and Lorraine Pascale, and former F1 World Champion racing driver Jody Scheckter.

In the Discover Organic cookbook, celebrities, chefs and home cooks share their passion for organic food, and show just how easy it is to eat organic. Their stories and recipes demonstrate how eating organic doesn’t have to be difficult, exclusive or expensive - which is the main thing that stops people like me from regularly buying organic food, although we do get an organic fruit and vege box delivered each week. 

Talking about her involvement in the new cookbook, BBC Presenter Kate Humble commented; ‘Food is our daily fuel and our children’s future, so as consumers and as citizens, it’s important to make the right food choices. When I buy organic it's because of the wildlife factor. I am 100% in favour of farmers looking after wildlife and many farmers do that. But with organic you get the extra reassurance on the label."

Here are a couple of delicious recipes suitable for Meatfree Monday from this fab cookbook:

Roasted Carrot and Hummus Dip

This dish makes a tasty change to traditional hummus and is perfect for a light lunch, snack or autumn appetiser. Not to mention the fact that the high vegetable content of this recipe puts you well on your way to eating your 5-a-day.

Serves 4

For the Hummus:

350g organic carrots, washed, trimmed and cut into 2cm chunks

3 cloves of garlic, unpeeled

2tsp cumin seeds

2tbsp olive oil

1 tin of organic chickpeas in water, drained

Juice of 1 lemon

For the crudités:

1 carrot, peeled and cut into batons

1 green pepper, cut into batons

10 cherry tomatoes

10 mushrooms

1. Preheat the oven to 220ºC, Gas Mark 7.

2. Place the carrots in a small roasting tin, add the garlic, cumin and 1 tbsp of the olive oil, and toss to mix.

3. Place the garlic under the carrots and roast for 15–20 minutes or until the carrots are tender and lightly charred.

4. Add the chickpeas to the roasting tin and stir well to coat them with the cooking juices.

5. Remove the skin from the garlic and discard.

6. Transfer the ingredients to a food processor, add the remaining oil and lemon juice, then use the pulse setting to blend to a creamy pureé. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Transfer to a bowl and serve with the vegetable crudités.

Toffee Apple Yogurt Cake

Serves 6

For the cake:

175 g unsalted butter, softened slightly

175 g golden caster sugar, plus a little extra for sprinkling on top

3 large free-eggs, beaten

200 g self-raising flour

½ tsp ground cinnamon

45 ml organic toffee yogurt

1 Cox’s apple, cored and diced

For the icing:

75 g butter

175 g icing sugar

2 tbsp organic toffee yogurt

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C, Gas mark 4.

2. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.

3. Gradually beat in the eggs, adding a teaspoon of flour if the mixture begins to curdle.

4. Sieve and then fold in the flour and cinnamon, followed by the yogurt and apple.

5. Divide the mixture between two greased and lined 17.5 cm sandwich tins and cook for 20–25 minutes until golden and springy to the touch.

6. Turn the cakes out of their tins and cool on a wire rack.

7. To make the icing, beat the butter until fluffy then gradually add the icing sugar, stirring until smooth. Add the yogurt and mix well, being careful not to over-beat.

8. Sandwich the cakes together with the icing, and sprinkle the extra caster sugar over the top.

Tip: If toffee yogurt’s not your thing, try using organic Greek-style yogurt with honey or natural yogurt with vanilla.