Tod Almighty Wholefoods | An exciting new vegetarian and vegan wholefood shop/retailer in Todmoden, Calderdale, West Yorkshire, UK

No.6 September 22nd 2021

Most of the fruit and veg in your box comes from Organic North, which is based in Manchester, plus seasonal veg from local growers. Organic North is a co-operative which has been running for over 25 years. Its low-waste approach to wholesale is brilliant – and unique. We pre-order a week in advance, which means they only order from their suppliers exactly what's been requested by their customers. This means much fresher organic produce for you... and less waste.

Runner beans
Originating in South America, Christopher Columbus brought runner beans back to Europe from his second voyage to the 'New World' in 1493 and by the 17th Century they were being widely cultivated. When they first arrived in the British Isles, runner bean plants were grown as ornamentals – like sweet peas – until the pods were discovered to be edible. They are now a staple of British allotments.

The name runner bean comes from 'scarlet runners', a term that reflects the fast growth habit and red flowers of early introductions.

Runner beans are packed full of nutrition and taste – they are a great source of potassium, which is essential for kidney and heart function, muscle contraction and nerve transmission. They're also full of calcium and magnesium, plus vitamins for good skin and mucus membranes, healthy eyes and vision. That's as well as being high in dietary fibre – for a healthy gut and to help protect against heart disease, stroke and Type-2 diabetes. What a vegetable!

To prepare
Trim to cut off the stalks.
Remove the tough strings on the side of the beans – best done with a vegetable peeler.
Chop diagonally into even pieces.

To cook
Simply steam for a few minutes until tender but still with a bite.

Now it's up to you. You can add these to your evening meal served with a dollop of your favourite vegan butter alternative. Or you could fry off some garlic and breadcrumbs and then toss the beans in at the last minute to make some tasty garlicky beans. Yum! If you've got lots of runner beans from your allotment, and you've fed all your neighbours – how about making a pickle with them?

Sally

T: 01706 819450 | E: VegBoxes@todalmighty.co.uk

RECIPES

Runner bean ratatouille

Ingredients
400g runner beans, topped, tailed and stringed.
3 tbsp olive oil.
1 onion, finely sliced.
6 large tomatoes or 1x 400g tin tomatoes.
1 tsp sugar.
1 bay leaf.
2 garlic cloves, crushed or finely chopped.
3 sprigs thyme.

Method
If using fresh tomatoes, peel them by cutting a cross in the skin at one end and plunging into a pan of boiling water for one minute, until the cut skin starts to peel back. Remove from the water, peel and roughly chop.
Slice the runner beans diagonally into long strips about 1cm wide.
Heat the oil in a heavy saucepan. Add the onions and sweat until translucent and beginning to soften.
Add the beans, tomatoes, garlic, sugar and herbs.
Cover and simmer for 30–40 minutes until the beans are soft and the sauce is thick – if it is still thin, remove the pan lid and bubble until it reaches the right consistency.
Serve warm or at room temperature.

What's that squash?

If you've not seen one before, let us introduce you to the Turban Squash. Belonging to the Curcubita maxima family, which also includes kabocha, buttercup and Hubbard squash varieties, this highly decorative and peculiar looking squash originated in the Caribbean and has a sweet, nutty, pumpkin flavour reminiscent of hazelnuts.

To prepare, first chop off the cap or 'turban' part of the squash. Then cut the two pieces in half and scoop out the seeds and pulp. At this point you can either roast these large chunks in the oven, or trim off the skin (tip – it's easier to use a potato peeler rather than a knife to remove the skin), and cut the flesh into smaller pieces. Delicious roasted with some olive oil and a sprinkle of salt... and perfect for soups.