Cranberries are for life, not just for Christmas

We forgot to mention before that not only was our Chocolate Yule Log rated in the newspaper but so were our Frozen Organic Cranberries. Oh yes, it’s true. Our products are being loved at the moment and, if you don’t mind us saying, quite rightly so.

Our Organic Frozen Cranberries were talked up by the one and only Gizzi Erskine. She told the Sunday Times’ Style Magazine that she thought they were “delicious”. Gizzi also said: “they are frozen so taste fresher and are easier to store, and they make the most wonderful cranberry sauce.” She even suggested ideas for what to do with the cranberries, such as adding them to orange juice and champagne for a new type of Buck’s Fizz. Excellent suggestions Gizzi, we couldn’t agree more. Thank you ever so much.

We’ve been putting our thinking caps on in the office and we’ve also come up with some excellent ideas of our own – not to blow our own trumpets of course. We thought we’d offer some inspiration on how best to use the cranberries, both over the Christmas period and at any other time of year. Cranberries are for life, not just for Christmas after all! They are also very good for your body and general health. Wow, these little cranberries are miracle workers.

So, what can you do with them? You can take Gizzi’s advice of course but you can also try our ideas:
         - Enjoy them on their own as a snack
         - Blend them up in a fruit smoothie
         - Put them in a naughty cocktail
         - Add them to cereal for a fruity treat
         - Drop them on top of one of our award winning lemon curd cheesecakes
         - Use them in a pea shooter, instead of peas of course

Here's one we made earlier

Now get out there, buy some of our Organic Frozen Cranberries and then let us know what you decided to do with them. Photographic evidence would be nice too :-)

Peace, love, cranberries and pizza.

What On Earth

Organic aubergine meze - give it a whirl

If you're after a healthy, vegetarian meal or want some tips on the best way to make healthy vegetarian food then look no further.  You have come to the right place.  Our talented head chef, Sergei, can tell you all about it.  He knows his stuff you see.  That's why we put him in charge of our kitchen!  In fact, he knows so much about making healthy vegetarian food that he has been telling a journalist all about it.

The dish is so good that it will suit both the carnivores and herbivores of the world. As it is so delicious and easy to make we didn't want you missing out on it. We have therefore featured Sergei's recipe and advice below. Check it out and let us know if you make it. We'd love to see photos and hear how it went.

Sergei in the flesh!

Sergei says: "It is often thought that all vegetarian dishes are healthy but that isn't necessarily the case as the ingredients themselves and the cooking methods all have an impact upon the final meal. One way of ensuring the food is healthy and full of flavour is by opting for organic ingredients. The mere fact that they have no preservatives, additives, pesticides or GMOs impacting upon the goodness of the food makes them a healthy option. Also, when cooking in oil, vegetarians should use unrefined sunflower oil as it is a healthier option than olive oil. Finally, to ensure full flavour vegetarians should consider trying different varieties of particular ingredients - for example, red or orange bell peppers carry more flavour than other colours of pepper."

An excellent vegetarian dish that is healthy and easy to make is a delicious Organic Aubergine Meze.




And here's one he made earlier


Organic Aubergine Meze

- 2 aubergines, chopped in 1 inch squares
- 1 can of chopped tomatoes in tomato juice
- 2 red or orange bell peppers (because these colours carry more flavour) roasted, peeled then diced
- One garlic clove, diced
- Small bunch of coriander, chopped
- Salt and black pepper

Roast the aubergines till brown (200C). Lightly oil the skin on the peppers and place them in the hot oven, bake until skin turns brownish. Remove the peppers, place them in the bowl and cover with cling film (this will help to peel the skin), leave to cool. Put chopped tomatoes in the pot (big enough to fit all the rest of the ingredients later), bring them to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Add roasted aubergines, peeled and roughly diced peppers, chopped garlic and coriander to the tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer the whole lot for a minute or two.

Once cooked, vegetarians can serve with cous cous or artisan bread. Alternatively, they could also go for some blanched broccoli. They can cook the broccoli for two minutes in boiling water, toss it in any type of cold pressed oil and add some seasoning.
Remember to let us know if you make it.  We look forward to seeing all the pictures.

Peace, love and pizza....and vegetarian recipes.

What On Earth.

ORGANISING AN ORGANIC CHRISTMAS

Our advent calendars tell us that Christmas is getting closer all the time and here at What on Earth we’re rushed off our (slightly frozen) feet, but we’ve decided to take moment to hand on some seasonal shopping tips. We know from experience that organising an organic Christmas usually takes a bit more work than nipping to your local supermarket, so here are a few of our festive favourites.

First up is Garlands Organic, whose shop is set in a pretty place called Pangbourne. But even though the village looks like a real-live Christmas card when the snow falls, we’re not suggesting that you have to head out there in person – you can buy from Garlands' range online, including luxury mincemeat for making your own additive-free pies. Tasty, plus baking is a great way to stop kids from being bored in the long, long Christmas holidays.

If you’ve got a house full of hungry youngsters, we’d recommend stocking up on a few packs of our children’s pizzas for fuss-free lunches. You can order them through another of our top shopping picks, Abel & Cole, who also sell some of our most Christmassy desserts: Chocolate Yule Log Cake and Baked Orange & Vodka Cheesecake. Can’t decide between the two? Have both, that’s what the festive season is all about…

Finally, for anyone who hasn’t had time to even think about buying Christmas gifts yet, fear not: we have the perfect solution. And don’t worry, our bright idea isn’t frozen pizzas for everybody (we tried that one year but they’re quite hard to wrap, and because they’re free from preservatives they didn’t last long under the tree). When we eventually manage to dash away and do some spending, we’ll be heading straight to the new Willow Organic shop in Chelsea to get our hands on some posh pressies. With lovely touchy-feely silk packaging that is biodegradable and recyclable, these beauty products are ideal for eco-conscious other-halves and they get a big festive thumbs-up from us. Enjoy!