Local, Seasonal, Wellbeing
This week, I joined Damien to talk all things Peas.
Peas are currently in season in Ireland, and are truly a summer treasure, sweet nutty and crunchy, it brings back so many childhood memories of eating fresh peas in the warm summer months and tasting the cold sweetness.
Green peas, or “garden peas,” are the small, spherical seeds that come from pods produced by the Pisum sativum plant and are a member of the Legume family (alongside beans and lentils) and are said to be one of the earliest vegetables grown. Fresh peas are a very popular vegetable but have a short season. The majority of peas grown in Ireland are sent for processing.
We are all guilty of having multiple open bags of frozen peas in the freezer, because they are an incredibly versatile, nutrient dense and cost effective and often boiled and flavoured with butter, salt, pepper or mint and eaten as a side dish.
We began with my delicious Pea and Prosciutto Soup topped with parmesan cheese , a vibrant and light simple summer soup recipe, from the rich and creamy flavours paired with the sweetness from the peas and crispy crunch from the salty prosciutto, made for a delicious well-rounded summer soup.
Next up, we shared my ‘Better for You Breakfast’ Pea & Avocado Toast topped with beetroot hummus, pickled radishes and crumbled feta cheese, this is a nutritious twist on the traditional Avocado guacamole.
I made the guacamole using half an avocado and roughly 2 tablespoons of cooked peas, a squeeze of lemon juice, sea salt and fresh pepper, all mashed together to make a chunky consistency. The beauty of this recipe is that it is incredibly versatile, I added beetroot hummus and feta cheese, but you could try a peanut Chilli oil, poached or scrambled eggs, halloumi or toasted seeds, all would work perfectly.
Pappardelle with Pea, Pistachio and Dairy Free Basil Pesto
We started with breakfast and lunch ideas, then it was time to move onto dinner, with my Pappardelle Pasta with Pea, Pistachio and Dairy Free Basil Pesto.
In this recipe, I used Dunnes Stores Simply Better Italian Egg Bronze Die Pappardelle, which I have found to be the best pasta on the market and paired it with my dairy free basil pesto, garnished with chopped pistachios and drizzle with Nobo pistachio spread. Other delicious Pea recipes include;
As mentioned during the show I find the Dunnes Stores Simply Better Italian Egg Bronze Die Pappardelle, the best pasta on the market, whether it is for a Ragù or Seafood pasta, the flat ribbon pasta lends itself well to rich, thick sauces and cling to the wide egg noodles.
Marigold Engevita Nutritional Yeast Flakes with added B12
To make my dairy free basil pesto, I used the Engevita Nutritional Yeast flakes to give it a delicious cheesy, nutty taste. Nutritional yeast flakes is a delicious savoury condiment that is vegan, gluten free and nut free, and is a great flavour enhancer to soups, stews, casseroles and salads.
This is the Nobó Pistachio Caramelly Spread I drizzled over the Pappardelle pasta, to give it a rich contrasting sweetness.
Nobó create simpler, kinder plant-based alternatives that are better for you and better for the planet. Just using a few simple ingredients, sourced from the best suppliers, made in small batches, and as sustainably as possible
