Fuel your body with these delicious and organic recipes! It's easier than you think to prepare delicious and wholesome meals...

What is organic food?
Organic is produced and grown without the use of synthetic pest control chemicals and fertilisers, antibiotics, growth hormones, genetic modification, irradiation and food additives derived from non-organic sources. That is organic food is produced using methods we would have used prior to last century.

The benefits
Safer
Organic produce is virtually free from artificial pesticides. This is great because artificial pesticides are known to have harmful side effects. There are a few studies have found some evidence that links artificial pesticide use on conventional (non organic) food with health problems in agricultural worker such as lymphoma, prostate cancer and Parkinson’s.

More nutritious
Studies have suggested that organically grown foods are more nutritious. For example, blackberries, strawberries, leafy green vegetables and corn grown organically higher levels of antioxidants, including vitamin C. Organically grown tomatoes may contain higher levels of flavonoids, a type of antioxidant which helps protect against heart disease and cancer.

More sustainable
It is suggested that organic farming is more sustainable than conventional farming. In some cases, organic farming methods used less than half the fertilizer and energy of conventional methods.

Environmentally friendly
Fertilisers such as compost and manure are used on used on organic farms. These types of fertilisers replenish the soil, which helps nourish and sustain plants.

Recipes

Fruit crumble
Ingredients
•    cooking oil spray
•     3 apples, diced
•    1 cup blueberries
•    2 teaspoons vanilla extract
•    1 tablespoon sugar
•    2 tablespoons finely chopped toasted hazelnuts
•    Cyclops yoghurt to serve

Instructions
•    Spray oil onto baking dish and place apples and berries in the dish. Drizzle vanilla extract and sprinkle sugar onto the fruit.
•    Place under a preheated grill for about 4-6 minutes, until fruit is coloured and syrup is bubbling. Sprinkle hazelnuts over the top and serve with yoghurt.

Roasted Vegetables with Sundried Tomato Pesto
Ingredients
•    1 onion, sliced
•    4 cups of diced vegetables (carrot, parsnip, pumpkin, swede or kumara)
•    1-2 Tbsp oil
•    1 cup of fresh spinach
•    ½ container of sundried tomato pesto
•    100g of feta cheese, crumbled
Instructions
•    Preheat the oven to 200°C and line a baking dish with baking paper.
•    Place the onion and vegetables on the tray and toss or spray with oil. Bake in the oven for 40 to 50 minutes.
•    Toss through sundried tomato pesto and torn spinach leaves season with pepper and place in a serving dish and sprinkle with feta.

To find these ingredients visit www.organicpathways.co.nz, www.woolworths.co.nz, www.commonsenseorganics.co.nz, or your local supermarket or local organic market.

Krystle Chester