Make things a bit easier this Easter with these great recipes

Pecan Pie

Preparation time – 30 minutes

Cooking time – 40 minutes

Serves – 12

Ingredients:

For the pastry:
70g ground almonds

70g chestnut flour

85g The Groovy Food Company, organic coconut flour 

140g The Groovy Food Company, organic virgin coconut oil 

pinch of sea salt

For the filling:
3 large eggs, beaten

110g The Groovy Food Company, organic virgin coconut oil 

110 The Groovy Food Company, organic agave nectar, light amber & mild 

200g The Groovy Food Company, organic coconut sugar 

1 tsp. vanilla bean paste, or 1 vanilla pod deseeded.

100g pecan halves

For the garnish:
Ice cream (dairy free optional) or home made banana ice cream

Method:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350°F, gas mark 4, 180°C (160°C fan-assisted). You will need a non-stick 9inch loose bottom tart tin.
    
2. Place all the flours in a mixing bowl together with sea salt and coconut oil using your hands form into a ball. Once the ball is formed, place into the base of your tart tin and smooth out on the base and up the sides so it’s even all around. Then refrigerate the pastry case for 30 minutes until hard.
    
3. To roast the pecans, place in the oven for 10-12 minutes on a baking mat, stirring a few times so they don’t burn, until they are light brown and fragrant. Set aside and let them cool.
    
4. In a medium sized saucepan melt the coconut oil, agave syrup and coconut sugar until smooth and soft. Remove the saucepan from the heat and leave to cool for 5-10 minutes.
    
5. Then ad the beaten eggs to the mixture and stir well.
    
6. Remove the pasty case from the fridge, pour in the melted mixture and decorate with the pecan halves flat side down.
    
7. Place into the pre-heated oven and back for 45-50 minutes. Check on the pie after 35 minutes as you may want to add a sheet of foil over the pie to prevent the crust and nuts from burning.
    
8. The mixture will rise in the oven, but don’t be alarmed, once out of the oven it will return to its natural shape.
    
9. Serve with dairy free cream or banana ice cream.

Leg of Lamb

Serves: 4                             

Cook: 2.5 hours                

Difficulty: Medium

Ingredients:

2 packs of Mash Direct Dauphinoise Potatoes

1 pack of Mash Direct Red Cabbage & Beetroot

2kg leg of lamb

2 bunches of asparagus tips

20g grated parmesan

10g toasted pine nuts

Drizzle olive oil

Salt and pepper

For the marinade: 

1 small bunch of mint

1 small bunch of rosemary

6 cloves of garlic

Zest of 1 lemon

Juice of ½ lemon

60ml olive oil

Salt and pepper

Method:

Make the marinade the day before and marinate the lamb in the marinade overnight.

To make the marinade:

7. Remove the leaves from the mint and rosemary and finely chop. Grate the lemon zest and crush the garlic.

7. Mix all the ingredients together and season.

7. Making small shallow scores all over the lamb leg, rub the marinade all over. Place in a roasting dish, cover, put in the fridge and leave to marinade for 12- 24 hours.

The next day:

1. Remove the lamb leg from the fridge and leave at room temp for 1 hour before cooking. Preheat the  oven to 220oC.

2. Uncover the lamb leg and cook in the preheated over on the high heat for 15 minutes.

3. Turn the heat down to 180oC, remove the lamb from the oven and cover with tinfoil. Place back in the oven and cook for 1 hour 30 minutes – 2 hours for medium to well-done.

4. Remove the lamb from the oven and place on a chopping board to rest for 20 minutes covered in tin foil.

5. While the lamb is resting, turn the oven up to 200oC and cook the Mash Direct Dauphinoise Potatoes as per pack instructions.

6. Place the asparagus into a roasting dish and toss in olive oil, parmesan, pine nuts and seasoning. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes.

7. Cook your Mash Direct Red Cabbage & Beetroot in the microwave as per package instruction and heat up your gravy on the stove.

Best served ‘family-style’ on sharing boards.