The Circus Gardener's Kitchen

seasonal vegetarian recipes with a side helping of food politics

kadhai paneer

The Covid-19 pandemic has been disastrous at a political as well as a personal level. Economies the world over have tanked badly thanks to the impact the virus has had. But here in the UK, in one respect at least, it has provided a fig leaf for the UK government, which was elected on a promise to “get Brexit done”. Some prominent government supporters have been suggesting the pandemic is […]

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Mexican-style pinto beans with green rice

This recipe for Mexican-style pinto beans with green rice is the latest in a monthly series of recipes I have created in partnership with Suma. Each of these recipes is inspired by products from Suma’s extensive range of organic and ethically sourced products, and the recipes appear both here on my blog and on the Suma website. In this dish, the pinto beans have been cooked in a delicious combination […]

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sweetcorn ribs

The publication last month of the UK’s independent National Food Strategy was somewhat overshadowed by the United Nations “code red” report on climate change. That is a shame, because there is a lot of positive proposals in the food strategy document. These include using taxation to reduce our salt and sugar intake, maintaining high food standards, improving school education on diet, improving access to good food for the poorest in […]

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roast broccoli and courgette with feta and preserved lemon

This recipe for roast broccoli and courgette with feta and preserved lemon is the latest in a monthly series of recipes I have created in partnership with Suma. Each of these recipes is inspired by products from Suma’s extensive range of organic and ethically sourced products, and the recipes appear both here on my blog and on the Suma website. All the elements of this delicious dish work so well […]

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smashed cucumber salad

“The alarm bells are deafening, and the evidence is irrefutable”. So said UN Secretary General António Guterres as the UN released its damning climate change report earlier this week. Drawing on over 14,000 scientific studies, the United Nations IPCC report provides the most detailed and comprehensive picture of the imminent danger we are in because of man-made climate change and global warming. It is clear now that global warming is […]

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stir-fried crispy tofu with peppers

This recipe for stir-fried crispy tofu with peppers is the latest in a monthly series of recipes I have created in partnership with Suma. Each of these recipes is inspired by products from Suma’s extensive range of organic and ethically sourced products, and the recipes appear both here on my blog and on the Suma website. There is a little preparation time involved in this month’s recipe, but trust me […]

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Catalan-style stuffed courgettes

There is a wealth of evidence about the beneficial role that our intestinal bacteria play in keeping us healthy. Not only do they play a vital role in digestion, they also produce essential enzymes and vitamins, help us to fight infections, they can even create chemicals like serotonin which support our mental wellbeing. Some studies have suggested that the increased prevalence of conditions such as obesity, diabetes, irritable bowl syndrome, […]

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spaghetti with broad bean, miso and hazelnut pesto

This recipe for spaghetti with broad bean, miso and hazelnut pesto is the latest in a monthly series of recipes I have created in partnership with Suma Wholefoods. In each recipe, I use products from Suma’s extensive range of organic and ethically sourced products, and the recipes appear both here on my blog and on the Suma website. In a blind tasting you would be amazed to find this delicious […]

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pea pancakes with feta, olive and mint

A recently published study has confirmed a link between the consumption of sugary drinks and increased risk of bowel cancer. The study involved a cohort of over 95,000 women, whose diet and health were monitored between 1991 and 2015. It found that women under the age of fifty who regularly consume more than a pint of sugary drinks per day have double the risk of developing bowel cancer compared to […]

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chilled asparagus, coconut and lemongrass soup

This recipe for chilled asparagus, coconut and lemongrass soupis the latest in a monthly series of recipes I have created in partnership with Suma. In each recipe, I use products from Suma’s extensive range of organic and ethically sourced products, and the recipes appear both here on my blog and on the Suma website. The wonderful but all-too-brief British asparagus season is upon us. This simple chilled soup recipe celebrates […]

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olive oil and poppy seed sourdough crackers

As the climate emergency facing the world deepens, leaders of the so-called G7 (“Group of Seven”, representing the world’s richest countries), will be meeting next month in Cornwall, UK. Failure to agree on major changes in our relationship to the world around us will mean that our decline towards climate-driven chaos will gather momentum. Climate change already poses a direct threat to our food security, through soil erosion, crop failures […]

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Keralan-style black chickpea curry

This recipe for Keralan-style black chickpea curry is the latest in a monthly series of recipes I have created in partnership with Suma. In each recipe, I use products from Suma’s extensive range of organic and ethically sourced products, and the recipes appear both here on my blog and on the Suma website. Not that long ago, but back in those days when we were able to travel freely to […]

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