#OrganicUnboxed Challenge

The #OrganicUnboxed challenge is a campaign sharing how easy it is to switch over elements of our shopping list to organic without it costing a fortune.

I was recently asked to take the #OrganicUnboxed challenge and never one to shy away from a challenge, I accepted. It was very exciting when a large box of organic produce arrived!  The challenge was to devise tasty food from the organic items.

What was in the box?

All these goodies! Feathered Steak, Lamb Mince, Belly Pork, black rice, pasta, vegetables, flour, cottage cheese, yoghurt, butter, the list goes on.  We definitely had a lot to choose from when deciding what dishes to make.

One of the first things that Mr Hubby made was Minced Lamb Keema.  As I explain on the video below, minced lamb is something we wouldn’t normally buy and we certainly wouldn’t have thought to make it into a curry dish before this challenge.  It was so yummy!

Lamb Keema

450g lamb mince

1 chopped onion

2 green chillies

2 tbsp garam masala

2 tsp turmeric

3cm grated ginger

2 crushed garlic cloves

2-3 tbsp oil

2 tbsp natural yogurt

½ can chopped tomatoes

200g frozen peas

Use a food processor to chop the onion, ginger, chillies and garlic. Chuck it all into a large frying pan and fry the mixture until it starts to release the fragrance.  Then pop in the mince and continue frying until it starts to brown. Add the spices and fry for one minute more. Add the tomatoes and simmer, stir in the yogurt, salt, pepper and cook for thirty minutes. Add in the frozen peas and cook for a further five minutes. Et viola!

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Mr Hubby also made Braised Feather Steak (which you will see on the video), so I will pop the recipe here in case you fancy giving it a go.

Braised Feathered Steak

315g feather steak

Handful of chopped mushrooms

500ml beef stock

2 tbsp sunflower oil

1 sliced onion

2 sliced celery sticks

2 medium sliced carrots

1⁄2 tsp dried thyme

1 bay leaf

1 tsp English mustard

Sea salt and black pepper

2 crushed garlic cloves

250ml red wine

2 tbsp tomato purée

Preheat the oven to 160C/fan oven 140C/Gas 3. Season beef on both sides. Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a frying pan. Fry the steak over a medium-high heat until nicely browned. Pop in a casserole dish. Gently fry the onion, celery and carrots for around 6 minutes.  Add in the mushrooms and garlic, then after a minute or so add to the beef.  Pour the wine into the frying pan and bubble for a few seconds.  Add the wine, stock, thyme, bay leave, mustard and tomato pureee to the meat and vegetables. Bring to the boil, then remove from the heat.

Pop some baking parchment over the mixture and then put the lid on top.  Cook in the oven for around 3 hours until beef is tender. Serve with vegetables and new potatoes or mash.

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Sticky Belly Pork Strips

500g belly pork strips

1-2 tablespoons olive oil

1 chopped onion

Black pepper

For the sauce:

5 tbs dry cider or wine

5 tbs soy sauce

1 tbs light soft brown sugar

1 heaped tbs tomato purée

1 heaped tsp ground ginger

1 crushed garlic clove

1 tbs light soft brown sugar

Dry belly pork with kitchen paper. Then rub each one all over with olive oil and season with pepper. Put in a roasting tin, add in the onion and drizzle with oil. Place on the highest shelf in the oven cook for 30 minutes. Whisk all of the sauce ingredients together until thoroughly combined.  After 30 minutes pour off any excess oil from the tin and pour the bbq sauce, cooking for a further 25 minutes, basting frequently.

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I made a video sharing more about the #OrganicUnboxed challenge and some of the food we made, including my cheese scones made from cottage cheese!

Here are the details for the Cottage Cheese Scones, in case you are tempted!

1 cup cottage cheese

2 1/2 cups plain flour

4 tbs milk

1 tbs baking powder

¾ tsp salt

⅛ tsp black pepper

6 tbs unsalted butter, chilled and diced

3 thinly sliced spring onions (green bits too!)

Preheat oven to 230 or Gas Mark 8. Line a baking sheet with baking paper. Blend cottage cheese and milk together until smooth.
Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and black pepper in a large bowl. Cut in the butter with a fork until it looks like coarse meal and add the spring onions and cottage cheese mix.  Shape the dough into a ball, then flatten it before wrapping in plastic wrap and chilling for 10 minutes in the freezer.

Lightly flour the surface and turn the dough out. Roll out to a circle about 8 inches and around ¾ inch thick. Use a 2-3 inch round cookie cutter to stamp out the scones, repeat until you have 8 to 10 scones. Pop scones to the prepared baking sheet, lightly brush the tops with a milk, and bake for around 15 minutes until risen and light golden brown on top and bottom. Serve warm.

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Organic UK have inspired me to think a little more about the products we choose.  Financially, we probably can’t afford to swap over to 100% organic, but we need to decide which products we feel we would benefit from being organic.

Do you buy organic food?  Do you buy completely organic or do you make choices as to which products to buy?

Disclosure: This post was commissioned by Organic UK.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.