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Spicy Tamarind Tempeh

Have you seen the tamarind paste on the shelves and wondered what can I do with that? It's perfect for adding a bit of a tang to dishes and this is one of our favourite ways to use it with creamy coconut and nutty tempeh. Yum!  

Ingredients -
200g Better Nature Tempeh (both plain and smoked work really well)
1tsp Thai Taste Tamarind Paste
2tbsp Thai Taste Sriracha
1tbsp ginger garlic mix
2tbsp Soy Sauce
100ml Suma Coconut Milk
½ Bunch Coriander
1 Small Red Onion
1tbsp Vegetable Oil

Method
1. In a frying pan heat the vegetable oil over a medium heat until shimmering and hot. Finely slice the red onion and fry until golden and starting to crisp.
2. While that cooks make the ginger garlic mix by crushing equal amounts of garlic and ginger, pop aside.
3. Crumble to tempeh into the pan and continue frying until the tempeh is golden. Then add your ginger garlic mix and fry until fragrant.
4. Dilute the 1tsp of tamarind paste in 100ml of water and add it to the pan, deglazing anything that has got stuck then add in your soy sauce and coconut milk. Bring to the boil and then reduce the heat and simmer for 3-4 minutes until the sauce has thickened and the tempeh is tender.
5. Finely chop your coriander (stalks and all) and and stir through the sauce.

Serve with noodles, rice, veggies or whatever you fancy! Here we've got Clearspring udon noodles and some steamed broccoli and green beans.

Have you given this recipe a go? Let us know! Share a pic on our Instagram, Facebook or Twitter and don't forget to tag us.  

Ivy Von Anderson
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Behind the mask with Hannah

 
Name - Hannah


Where is your mask from?
Where is your mask from? It's from Adidas but I think i stole it off my boyfriend.

When did you start at Easter Greens? I started in November, just before the Christmas rush. I actually started two jobs on the exact same day which was very intense.

What do you do at Easter Greens? Stock the shelves, help all our lovely customers, stroke dogs, occasionally quality control the pick n mix (important).

Why did you want to work at Easter Greens? Well, I worked in McDonald's for 5 years and one day I just woke up and I'd had enough, I decided life was too short to be unhappy and I wanted to work somewhere that aligned with my values and where I wasn't just treated like a number (plus the discount is nice).

What do you love about working at Easter Greens? All the new things that Ivy somehow manages to squeeze in the tiny shop haha! And all the customers who tell me how to cook things like jerusalem artichokes and kholrabi which I'd never even seen before I worked here. I'm a bad vegan I know haha!

What is your favourite item that we sell? This might be a weird one but i LOVE mushrooms. So probably the oyster mushrooms because they're just so pretty to look at. Or the little Rhythm 108 bars because they're so addictive.

What do you like to do outside work? I'm pretty much always working between my two jobs but on my rare days off I love cooking, video games and badly dancing the night away. I've recently started running after my friend spontaneously signed us up for a 10k in October so I suppose that too!

What gets you out of bed in the morning? Overnight oats with a TON of peanut butter (crunchy obvs). I love to sleep but I am also definitely happier in the morning so I'm always torn whether to sleep in or get up.

What are your ambitions in life? Just be happy I suppose? I spent a looooong time being deeply unhappy trying to please other people and I'm just excited to see what I'm capable of! Wow, that was deep, I'd also like to own lots of dogs and get tattooed!

Once lockdown/COVID is over, what's the first thing you want to do? Squeeze my many nieces and nephews, explore more of Scotland and see the beautiful mountains in Canada.

Tell us an interesting fact about yourself. My first word was 'broccoli', loving veggies from the start baby!

Ivy Von Anderson
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Thai Style Pesto

Who doesn't love the fresh flavour of a home made pesto? So let's do something a little bit different - Thai style pesto! 

Ingredients 
1 bunch of coriander
1 bunch of mint 
1 bunch of basil
1 inch of fresh ginger 
2 garlic cloves 
1 medium red chilli
Juice of 1 lime 
25g of salted peanuts
Olive oil as required 

Method
1. Peel the skin off your garlic and scrape the skin off the ginger using a spoon. Chop both into smaller pieces to be kind to your food processor. 

2. In said food processor add all the ingredients (give the herbs and chilli a rough chop too) and start to blend. If it's a little dry and won't blend smoothly drizzle in a little olive oil. Don't leave it running too long as you don't want your herbs to get hot but blend it enough to give you a smooth luscious green paste.  

Now it's ready to go and all you need to decide is what to put it on. We love it over roasted veggies and tofu. Yum! 

Ivy Von Anderson
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Tofu Sadheko

Many moons ago when we could all travel a bit more freely, Ivy (who you'll normally find in our Easter Road store) took a trip to Nepal and came across this simple but oh so delicious salad - sadheko! It comes in a few forms (seitan, peanut etc) but this recipe is using a shop staple - tofu!

Ingredients -

1 Block of Clearspring smoked tofu
1/2 Red pepper
1/2 Green pepper
1/2 Small red onion
2 Plum tomatoes 
1/2 Cucumber 
1/2 Bunch of coriander
1/2 Bunch of mint
2 tbsp Amaizin Jalapeno Peppers, drained
1 Lime
2tbsp Soy sauce

Method -
1. There is no cooking required here so just grab yourself a big bowl to put everything in, a good knife and a chopping board. 

2. Start by prepping all the vegetables. Wash and de-seed the peppers, peel the onion, cut the cucumber in half and scoop out the water middle, wash the tomatoes and cut them all into a small 1cm dice*. Throw the whole lot in your bowl 

3. Now for the tofu, open the package and let the water drain away. Give it a quick squeeze to get everything out. Unlike the veggies I like to make the tofu chunky, aim for 12 squares from the block. 

4. Next drain your chillies, wash your herbs and finely mince them so you get a little bit on all your ingredients. Add to your bowl of veggies.   

5. Last of all let get a dressing made, add into the bowl the juice of a whole lime and 2 tbsp of soy sauce. Toss and mix everything then leave it to marinate for a couple of hours before serving. 

Delicious on its own but personally I love it straight out the fridge with a side of fresh hot basmati rice. Yum!

*This is just how I like it so you get a bit of everything on the fork but feel free to go more chunky on the dice! 

Ivy Von Anderson
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Behind the mask with Sarah

 
Name - Sarah


Where is your mask from?
A lady in the village near my parents made it. She made sure some of the proceeds went to charity which is rather lovely!

When did you start at Easter Greens? Erm, January?! I've honestly forgotten the start date but think it was late January!

What do you do at Easter Greens? I am a part time shop assistant so all sorts of jobs around the shop including serving and helping customers, stocking shelves, sorting deliveries and invoices. I also take on little projects like creating spreadsheets to keep track of dates on products!

Why did you want to work at Easter Greens? I'm vegan and thought it would be lovely to work in a shop with people who have the same ethics as me.

What do you love about working at Easter Greens? My colleagues are lovely for starters! I'm also a massive foodie so I enjoy helping customers with choosing ingredients and having chats about recipes and recommendations!

What is your favourite item that we sell? I know everyone says this but it's so difficult to choose! I guess tofu is one of my favourite ingredients; it's so versatile you can make so many things from it and marinate it with so many things. Also there are lots of flavoured ones if you want to skip the step of marinating it yourself. 

What do you like to do outside work? Cooking and feeding people! I also enjoy reading and keep up to date with current news and affairs. Finally with things properly opening up I'm hoping to have a holiday scuba diving again soon!! 

What gets you out of bed in the morning? Going on from my previous answer I like to start the day reading or listening to the news. I guess that makes me sound a little dull but I like being well informed! 

What are your ambitions in life? Oh gosh... It maybe sounds a bit lofty but I want to make a difference in the world; in some way make a meaningful contribution to stopping the Climate and Ecological Emergencies... I would also love to go skydiving one day if that's more cheerful! 

Once lockdown/COVID is over, what's the first thing you want to do? Travel! Travel travel travel! I love exploring the world, meeting new people, discovering new things and experiencing new cultures: with a heavy bias towards the food of course! There are so many places I want to see it's more of a database than a bucket list! 

Tell us an interesting fact about yourself. Ooh can I tell you two? Greedy I know! But the first is I've played the violin since I was five years old. The second is I've logged over 120 scuba dives! :D

Ivy Von Anderson
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THIS™ isn’t bacon and Aye Pickled kimchi fried rice

Fried rice is a favourite for a few of us here at Easter Greens. It's quick, easy, versatile and cheap but also filling and delicious. Here THIS™ isn’t and  Aye Pickled have done all the hard work for us with their meaty bacon for that extra bite and ready to go kimchi which just needs to be added straight from the jar. In a rush? Just add rice, cook and go! 

Ingredients -
300g cooked and cooled rice
(we used last night’s leftover brown rice)
150g Aye Pickled Kimchi
1 clove of garlic, minced
½ inch ginger, minced
¼ white onion
2 tbsp neutral oil
2 spring onions
Sesame oil (optional)

Method -
1. Heat a frying pan over a high heat and add in your neutral oil. While it heats, thinly slice the white onion and cube the bacon.
2. Start by frying the onion until it’s soft and translucent then add in the bacon and thirdly the kimchi (juice and all!). Cook for 3-5 minutes allowing the kimchi juices to caramalise. Next add in your garlic and ginger and cook for another minute or two so that it gets nice and fragrant.
3. Finally add your rice, it’s best to use cooked and cooled rice as it separates to give you nice and fluffy fried rice but you can also use fresh cooked rice, just be a bit
more gentle when stirring. Stir fry the rice and kimchi mix until the rice is evenly coated with your delicious spicy sauce, its starting to crisp on the bottom and its piping hot.
4. Serve with thinly sliced spring onion on top and a drizzle of sesame oil to finish if you fancy. Enjoy!

Ivy Von Anderson
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Behind the mask with Euan

 
Name - Euan


Where is your mask from?
A box of 10 of them arrived at my door one morning, no explanation… very mysterious! If it was you who sent them thank you so much, they’re very comfortable!

When did you start at Easter Greens? 02/11/2021 at around midday… great times.

What do you do at Easter Greens? I am quite tall, so I enjoy reaching for the boxes of crisps and kitchen roll on the top shelf of the stockroom.

Why did you want to work at Easter Greens? I really wanted to work for an ethical local organisation, and Easter Green’s values align with my own. After doing loads of different jobs during lockdown, it’s nice to have something a bit more chilled that’s fulfilling as well! I’m at university at the mo, so it’s a perfect part time job!

What do you love about working at Easter Greens? All the vegan stuff! I have been vegan for 9 years, so it’s quite intoxicating to look around and think that everything in the shop is plant-based! All the customers are very friendly too, and it’s great to chat with them about food. 

What is your favourite item that we sell? The big chunky Vego bar baby! 150g of choccy, nutty gold!

What do you like to do outside work?  I like music, loving being able to go to live shows again. I’m booked to see so many bands that have been postponed again and again… until now! I also like running, a nice chilly few miles up the Braid Hills or Pentlands for me is stunning! Aside from that I live in the telly: Drag Race, Succession, We Are Lady Parts, Call the Midwife - I am always watching something!

What gets you out of bed in the morning? Often my eyes spring open full of vitality vigour at the first rays of dawn, I just can’t stay snoozing! I also have ‘Lonely’ by CMAT as my alarm. 

What are your ambitions in life? Time 2 get serious folks…

No to be honest at the moment I don’t really have a grand plan in mind, just try to stay as happy as I can and be kind to the people I care about. 

Once COVID is over what's the first thing you want to do? Hopefully we’re in the tail end of the coronavirus lockdowns, just need to take on the real disease now… Tories!

Tell us an interesting fact about yourself. Mmm I’m not really sure to be honest, I think I like to try and stay pretty unremarkable. If you do spot anything noteworthy, let me know and I’ll do my best to tackle it.

Ivy Von Anderson
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Valentines week recipes - simply italian

Thanks to the lovely Sarah and Eilidh from our Morningside store we've got not one, not two but four meals to share with you this valentines week. All our recipe cards include a starter, main, side and dessert. 

To start - caprese salad

Ingredients - 
250g tomatoes
Bunch of basil
Mozzarisella© vegan cheese
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper

Method -
1. Slice the Mozarisella into thick rounds
2. Slice the tomatoes into rounds
3. Pick the leaves off the basil
4. Arrange the tomatoes, Mozzarisella and basil on a plate
5. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper

On the side - salad with Italian dressing 

Ingredients - 
1 Little Gem Lettuce
2 Tomatoes
1/3 Cucumber
Inspired Vegan©salad dressing
Salt and pepper

Method - 
1. Slice the cucumber and tomatoes and rip the lettuce leaves into bite size pieces.
2. Toss in a salad bowl
3. Dress with the salad dressing about 5 minutes before serving
4. Season with salt and pepper

Main course - tomato pasta 

Ingredients -
Jar of Mr Organic© or Suma Passata Sauce
Packet of dried fusilli pasta
Violife© vegan Parmesan
Salt and pepper

Method - 
1. Bring a large pan of water to the boil and add a good pinch of salt (about a level teaspoon)
2. Cook the pasta according to pack instructions (100g dried pasta per person)
3. Empty the pasta sauce into a separate saucepan and heat on a medium heat until
cooked through
4. Drain the pasta and add to the sauce: enough that it thickly coats the pasta
5. Serve in pasta bowls and grate over the vegan Parmesan
6. Season with salt and pepper to taste

To finish - biscotti with ice cream

Ingredients - 
One pack Rhythm 108© biscotti (or your favourite cookies)
Tub of ice cream in your favorite flavour

Method - 
1.Break the biscotti into bite size pieces.
2.Top with 1 or 2 scoops of ice cream.

Share with us what you made! Take a pic, make a reel, and tag our socials.

Ivy Von Anderson
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Valentines week recipes - il romantico

Thanks to the lovely Sarah and Eilidh from our Morningside store we've got not one, not two but four meals to share with you this valentines week. All our recipe cards include a starter, main, side and dessert. 

To start - pesto stuffed cherry tomatoes 

Ingredients - 
150g cherry tomatoes (about 5 each)
Jar of Suma© basil pesto
Pine nuts
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper

Method -
1.Chop the top off the tomatoes and carefully scoop out the seeds with a small spoon or melon baller
2. Stuff with the pesto
3. Place the pine nuts in a small frying pan on a low-medium heat and toast until golden
4. Top the tomatoes with the toasted pine nuts and oil, then season with salt and pepper to taste

On the side - homemade garlic bread  

Ingredients - 
1/3 baguette
75g Violife© Vioblock
3 garlic cloves

Method - 
1. Pre-heat oven to 200c/180c Fan/Gas 6
2. Bring a small frying pan to a medium heat and add the 100g Vioblock
3. Once sizzling, add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes
4. Slice the baguette length ways in half, drizzle over with the garlic butter and put the bread on a baking tray, garlic butter side up
5. Cook in the oven for 5-7 minutes to warm the bread through.
6. Season with salt and pepper

Main course - spaghetti bolognese 

Ingredients -

Ingredients -
Packet of dried spaghetti
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 medium carrot, grated
1 stick celery, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tbsp tomato puree
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp dried rosemary
1 aubergine, finely chopped1 tin puy lentils, drained
100g mushrooms, finely chopped
2 400g tins chopped tomatoes
1 stock cube (veggie or mushroom)
200ml water
2-3 tbsp vegan Worcester sauce
Fresh basil (chopped) and “parmesan” to serve
Salt and pepper 

Method - 
1. Heat the oil to a medium heat in a large saucepan
2. Add the onion, carrot and celery and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring regularly until all are a bit soft
3. Stir in the garlic, tomato puree, balsamic vinegar, oregano and rosemary and cook for a further minute
4. Add the aubergine, lentils, mushrooms chopped tomatoes, stock cube, water and Worcester sauce
5. Keep stirring the ingredients so they don’t stick, and wait for them to come to the boil
6. Reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover loosely with a lid and cook for around 40-45 minutes until the sauce thickens.
7. Keep an eye and keep stirring, occasionally adding some water to stop it sticking to the bottom if needed
8. Whilst the sauce is cooking, bring a large pan of water to the boil and add a good pinch of salt (about a level teaspoon)
9. Cook the pasta according to pack instructions (100g dried pasta per person)
10. To serve, ladle a good spoon of sauce over the spaghetti and top with the basil, Parmesan and salt and pepper to taste

To finish - biscotti with ice cream

Ingredients - 
One pack Rhythm 108© biscotti (or your favourite cookies)
Tub of ice cream in your favorite flavour

Method - 
1.Break the biscotti into bite size pieces.
2.Top with 1 or 2 scoops of ice cream.

Share with us what you made! Take a pic, make a reel, and tag our socials.

Ivy Von Anderson
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Valentines week recipes - Love feast!

Thanks to the lovely Sarah and Eilidh from our Morningside store we've got not one, not two but four meals to share with you this valentines week. All our recipe cards include a starter, main, side and dessert. 

To start - nachos

Ingredients - 
Packet of tortilla chips
Vegan cheese (we love Applewood for that smokey flavour an exellent melt)
Jar of jalapeños if you like it spicy 
Oatly!© Oat Fraiche
Jar of salsa, or why not make your own from roasted fresh tomatoes, peppers and fresh herbs

Method -
1.Pre-heat oven to 200c/180c Fan/Gas 6.
2. Tip the tortilla chips into an ovenproof dish
3. Top the tortilla chips with grated vegan cheese
4. Add Jalapeños to taste
5. Cook for 5-8 minutes or until the cheese has melted
6. Serve with the sour cream and salsa

On the side - coleslaw 

Ingredients - 
1 carrot
1 red or white cabbage
Vegan mayonnaise
Salt and pepper

Method - 
1. Grate an equal amount of carrot and cabbage
2. Mix in a bowl with the mayonnaise to taste, we're big fan's of may so always go for an extra big dollop.
3. Season to taste with salt and pepper

Main course - burger and chips 

Beyond Meat© or Sgaia© burger
4 little gem lettuce leaves
1 tomato
1 red onion
Applewood cheese slices
Condiments of choice (we like to add a bit of mayo leftover from the coleslaw and a bit of ketchup)
Aye Pickles bread and butter pickles
2 fresh bread rolls
Bag of frozen chips


Method - 
1. Cook chips according to packet instructions
2. Whilst the chips are cooking slice the onion and tomato thinly and rip the lettuce into bite size pieces
3. Slice the buns in half
4. Cook the burger according to packet instructions and top with the cheese slice
5. Put the burger in the bun and top with the lettuce, tomato and onion in the bun
6. Add your favourite condiments and pickles
7. Serve with the chips

To finish - cookies and ice cream  

Ingredients - 
1 pack of your favourite cookies
Tub of ice cream in your favorite flavour

Method - 
1.Break the cookies into bite size pieces.
2.Top with 1 or 2 scoops of ice cream.

Share with us what you made! Take a pic, make a reel, and tag our socials.

Ivy Von Anderson
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Valentines week recipes - A classy night in

Thanks to the lovely Sarah and Eilidh from our Morningside store we've got not one, not two but four meals to share with you this valentines week. All our recipe cards include a starter, main, side and dessert. 

To start - tomato bruschetta

Ingredients -
1⁄4 small red onion
3 plum tomatoes
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2-3 sun-dried tomatoes (if using dry, soak before)
1 garlic clove
1 tsp dried basil 
Salt and pepper
4 thick slices baguette


Method -
1. Finely chop the fresh and sun-dried tomatoes, finely dice the onion, and crush the garlic clove.
2. Mix the onion, tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic and basil in a bowl gently: try not to “mash” the tomatoes.
3. Add the balsamic vinegar, olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Mix again.
4. Cover and let sit for at least an hour: this helps the flavours soak in and blend together.
5. Just before serving: slice the baguette diagonally and toast gently until golden.
6. Spread the mixture evenly on the warm bread and serve.

On the side - grilled courgettes with lemon and garlic 

Ingredients - 
2 tbsp olive oil
2 courgettes
3 garlic cloves
1 lemon (zest and juice)
Salt and pepper

Method - 
1. Chop the courgette into batons and crush the garlic clove.
2. Heat a large frying pan to medium-high and add the olive oil.
3. Add the courgettes and fry with the garlic and lemon zest until caramelised.
4. Season to taste with the lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Main course - mushroom risotto with garlic mushrooms

For the Risotto:
1 packet dried porcini mushrooms
2-3tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 stick celery, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic
400g risotto rice
200g mixed mushrooms, chopped
1.5l Kallo© veggie or mushroom stock
For the Garlic Mushrooms:
2 tbsp olive oil
200g mixed mushrooms
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Juice of 1⁄2 lemon
Salt and pepper
To serve :
Extra olive oil, cheese, salt and pepper to taste


Method - 
For the risotto:
1. Heat the stock in a saucepan and keep on a low simmer.
2. In a bowl, add the porcini mushrooms and enough hot stock to cover.
3. Leave until they’ve softened (about 5 minutes), fish them out and chop them, reserving the soaking liquid.
4. Bring a separate large pan with the olive oil to a medium heat then add the onion and celery.
5. Gently fry for at least 10 minutes, then increase the heat to medium-high and add the mushrooms.
6. Cook until the mushrooms are soft, then add the rice and stir so it’s coated with oil (add a tiny bit more oil if it’s sticking).
7. Pour the porcini soaking liquid through a sieve into the pan and add the chopped porcini and 1 ladle of hot stock.
8. Turn the heat down to a simmer and keep adding stock 1 ladle at a time, stirring the rice gently. Allow each ladleful to be absorbed before adding the next.
9. Carry on adding stock until the rice is soft but with a slight bite. This will take about 30 minutes.

For the garlic mushrooms:
1. Heat a frying pan to medium-high and add the olive oil.
2. Fry the mushrooms and garlic until soft and slightly caramelised.
3. Remove from the heat and add the parsley and lemon juice.
4. Season with salt and pepper.

To Serve:
1.Check the seasoning of the finished risotto and stir in the extra virgin olive oil and Violife© Prosociano. You want a slightly gooey consistency so add 1 last ladle of stock if needed.
2. Serve the risotto in individual bowls, topped with the garlic mushrooms, some more Violife© Prosociano and salt and pepper to taste.

To finish - biscotti with ice cream  

Ingredients - 
1 Pack Rhythm 108© almond biscotti (or your favourite gluten free Doves Farm cookies!)
Tub of ice cream in your favourite flavour

Method - 
1.Break the biscuits into bite size pieces.
2.Top with 1 or 2 scoops of ice cream.

Share with us what you made! Take a pic, make a reel, and tag our socials.

Ivy Von Anderson
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Curried parsnip dauphinois

Parsnips are so much more than a Christmas vegetable (and are perfectly in season up until March) so why not give this simple yet delicious root veg some love with this creamy, spice spiked curried parsnip dauphinois.

Ingredients
2 large parsnips
2 medium shallots
200ml coconut milk
1 tbsp madras curry powder
1 tsp ginger, grated
3 garlic cloves, grated
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper

Method
1. Preheat your oven to 200c
2. Peel then thinly slice the parsnips and the shallots, I used a mandalin but you can also do it by hand.
3. Layer the parsnips then shallots, parsnips then shallots in a loaf tin, put to one side while you make the curry cream.
4. In a blender add 200ml coconut milk, 300ml water, madras curry powder, ginger, garlic, salt and pepper. Blend until smooth.
5. Carefully pour the curry cream over the layered parsnips. Cover the tin with foil and bake in the oven for 15 minutes.
6. Uncover and the continue to bake for a further 20 minutes until the parsnips are tender when pricked with a knife (aim for the centre of the tin and go all the way down to check all the layers) and the top is golden and crisp.
7. Sprinkle with chilli flakes for a extra kick or some finely chopped coriander leaf for some extra colour and enjoy!

Ivy Von Anderson
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