We have partnered up with @sabarestaurantdublin to create our new @simplybetterds Thai Food range. Watch our brand ambassador @nevenmaguire learn how to make this delicious Phad Thai with Chef Yo. Find the full recipe below and shop the ingredients in your local @dunnesstores.
Method: 1. Soak the noodles in cold water until soft, about 30 minutes, then rinse under cold water and keep to one side. 2. Bring a wok to a medium to high heat, add the oil, then the chicken and stir for 2 minutes before adding the prawns and stir for another minute. 3. Bring the chicken and prawn to one side of the wok. Add the remaining oil and the beaten eggs. 4. Stir quickly and mix the egg with the chicken and prawns. 5. Add the noodles, stir for 1 minute until the noodles start to soften. 6. Then add the sauce and stir well to cover the noodles. 7. Add the bean sprouts and spring onions. Toss them through quickly for just 30 seconds to make sure the vegetables remain crunchy. 8. Serve in warmed bowls with a sprinkle of the crushed peanuts, fried shallots and dried chillies.2d
Watch How to Cook Well with Rory O’Connell at 8:30pm on Tuesday evenings on RTÉ One. Ingredients A classic lemon posset or set cream is a simple and lovely thing and my version here with blackberries and sweet geranium leaves is I believe a good and delicious variation on the theme. It is remarkable how easy this is and how without the aid of egg or gelatine, the mixture sets into a tender chilled pudding. I like the possets served straight from the fridge, so nice and chilly. I often make this during the winter months using wild blackberries that I have frozen in the late summer or early autumn. If you are using frozen berries, use them straight from the freezer. I never cease to be amazed by the value one gets from a few bags of frozen fruit when fresh local fruit is simply not an option due to the seasons. A little softly whipped cream is the perfect accompaniment along with a fresh organic or crystallised rose petal. The combination of rose and blackberry is a marriage made in heaven and I might be tempted to add a few drops of rose water to the cream when whipping. Be careful though as too much rose water will yield a flavour that is too strong and overpowering. The flavour of the rosewater cream should be akin to catching the scent of a rose while walking about the garden – there but almost illusive. If you do not have the lemon or rose-scented geranium, you can just leave it out. The fragrant leaves do however bring a magical element to the dish. The plants are easily found at good garden centres and can be treated as a house plant living on a bright window-sill or if the weather is mild where you live, they can spend spring, summer and autumn out of doors in a sheltered sunny spot. I can’t imagine not having one of these plants for the ravishing flavour to bring to certain dishes. In fact, it is the sort of magic that one receives from this rather innocuous looking leaf that humbles and mesmerises me and reminds me every time I use it, how astonishing nature is and how fortunate that my career has brought me down this path where I handle these treasures all of the time. Oh, joy. The possets can be served in little cups or glasses or the prettiest receptacle you like to use. The portions are quite small as this is quite a rich little dish but I always think it is better to be longing for one more spoonful rather than being faced with too much food. A thin lacy biscuit such as the Nougatine biscuits would also be good here and I might be tempted to add a few drops of rose water to the cream when whipping. Serves 8 400ml cream 90g caster sugar 5 leaves of rose or lemon scented geranium 100g blackberries 50ml lemon juice. Method Place the cream, sugar, geranium leaves and blackberries in a small saucepan and bring to a bare simmer. Stir the saucepan occasionally to encourage the sugar to dissolve. Maintain that bare simmer for 5 minutes. If the cream boils hard the texture and consistency of the posset will be spoiled. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the lemon juice. You will notice the colour of the cream improving dramatically as soon as the lemon juice goes in. Now strain the cream through a sieve to remove the geranium leaves and at the same time push as much of the blackberries through as possible. Pour the strained cream into 8 little cups or glasses and allow to cool before placing in the fridge for 3 hours to set. The posset will keep perfectly in your fridge for several days. I like to cover them to protect the delicate flavour. Serve with a little softly whipped cream and if you have them, a fresh or crystallised rose petal and a nougatine biscuit.
This recipe for Bangers & Cheesy Mash from our Simply Better brand ambassador @nevenmaguire is the perfect comfort food. Find the full recipe below:
Bangers & Cheesy Mash with Caramelised Red Onion Gravy Ingredients (Serves 4) 2 Packs Simply Better Irish Pork Spring Onion & Black Pepper Sausages 2 Tubs Simply Better Irish Made Beef Gravy 3 Tbsp. Simply Better Handmade Caramelised Red Onion Relish 1 Tbsp. Simply Better Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil 1 Tbsp. Simply Better Italian Balsamic Vinegar Steamed Greens, to serve Cheesy Mash 100g Simply Better West Cork Co-Op Extra Mature Drinagh Cheddar, grated 750g Rooster Potatoes, cut into chunks 75g Butter Method 1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F/Gas Mark 6). Place the sausages on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, drizzle with the olive oil and cook in the oven for 25 minutes, turning halfway through cooking to ensure they are golden brown on all sides. 2. To make the mash, put the potatoes in a pot of cold salted water. Cover and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until tender. Drain the potatoes and return to the pot over a low heat for 1-2 minutes to remove as much moisture as possible. Remove the pot from the heat, then mash with a potato masher or pass through a potato ricer until smooth. Beat in the cheese and butter and season to taste. 3. To make the gravy, heat the gravy in a saucepan over a medium heat, whisk in the caramelised red onion relish and balsamic vinegar and simmer for 2-3 minutes. 4. To serve, place a large spoonful of mash in the centre of a plate or serving bowl. Top with 3 of the roasted sausages and pour over the onion gravy. Serve with some of the steamed greens.
‘Give your pancakes a French, Australian or American twist with Rachel Allen’s delicious recipes’
“If you’re looking for a new take on this age-old recipe, try a crepe with banana, salted caramel and cream, wholemeal pikelet with blueberry compote, American pancake with maple syrup and rashers, or buckwheat blini with salmon and creme fraiche
The cooking of pancakes dates way back to prehistoric times where batters made from stoneground flour and water were cooked over fire. Sometimes leavened with yeast and other raising agents, pancakes can take on many slightly dissimilar guises. Essentially flat cakes, pancakes in France are thin and sometimes a little crisp around the edges as the name crepe would suggest: like the thin fabric with a wrinkled surface. Serve with this salted caramel sauce recipe, below, as well as banana slices and softly whipped cream. Once made, the sauce will keep for a month or more. It gets thicker in the fridge so just reheat to serve.”
Last week, I made Chocolate Hummus and I got SO much amazing feedback that I wanted to show you how you could use it as a handy finger food breakfast idea for your kids. These Breakfast Samosas are really good. Filled with my chocolate hummus, sliced banana and crushed seeds for extra goodness…all from @dunnesstores ☀️🍌
You will want to save this one for later ❤️
Prep time – 5 minutes Cook time – 5 minutes 8 Mini Samosas and 2 Large
For the mini tortillas spread about 2 tsps of chocolate hummus (the larger tortillas will use about 1 tbsp of hummus, then add 2 slices of banana the the corner and a sprinkle of nuts. Fold the rounded part up slightly, then fold the corner up and over and tuck in the remaining part into the opening.
Heat on a pan until golden brown both sides.
Serve with a side of Greek yogurt and fresh strawberries for extra protein which will keep you and your little ones full for longer.
Neven Maguire’s mushroom & leek strudel with madeira wine sauce
Ingredients
Serves 4-6
For the strudel
2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for oiling
1 small onion, peeled and finely diced
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
225g mixed wild mushrooms roughly chopped
1 small leek, washed and finely sliced
2 tbsp double cream
2 tbsp Madeira Wine
2 tbsp chopped parsley
4-5 sheets filo pastry, thawed if frozen (about 100g/4oz in total)
1 egg, beaten
salt and freshly ground black pepper
mixed salad leaves, to serve
For the madeira wine sauce
700ml beef stock
1 tbsp tomato purée
3 tbsp Madeira Wine
3 tbsp cream
Method
For the strudel
Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/ gas mark 5.
Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan.
Add the onion, garlic and mushrooms and cook over a medium to high heat for 2-3 minutes until almost tender.
Reduce the heat, add the cream and Madeira to the pan and cook for another minute.
Add herbs and salt and pepper to taste.
Sauté for another minute until the spring onions are just tender and the liquid has almost completely reduced.
Allow to cool completely.
Unroll the sheets of filo pastry and place them all, one on top of the other, on a work surface.
Brush the top sheet of pastry with beaten egg and then spread over the mushroom mixture to within 4cm (1½in) of the edges.
Fold the short ends inwards a little to meet the mushroom mixture and then, starting with a long edge, roll up the pastry fairly tightly like you would a Swiss roll, keeping the mushrooms in place as you roll.
Place the strudel seam-side down on the parchment paper and brush it all over with the remaining beaten egg.
Bake for 20-25 minutes until crisp and golden brown.
Allow to cool for a few minutes before carefully placing on a chopping board.
Cut the strudel into thick slices and arrange on warmed plates. Drizzle some sauce beside it and serve with some mixed salad leaves.
For the madeira wine sauce
Heat a heavy based saucepan, add the Madeira Wine and reduce by half.
Gradually whisk in the beef stock until smooth, followed by the tomato purée.
Simmer for approximately 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until slightly thickened.
Whisk in the cream, bring to the boil, season to taste and thicken with some diluted cornflower.
Next add the fruit mix, grated apple and ground almonds. Mix well.
Finally, add the breadcrumbs and bottle of stout.
Stir well, cover and leave to stand overnight. Transfer to a 3 pint greased pudding bowl. Steam for 5 hours.
To steam pudding in oven:
Put two long strips of tin foil crosswise on work top or table. Place roasting tin on foil. Sit pudding bowl into the tin and fill with boiling water to within 1″ of top of tin. Then bring tin foil around to form a parcel, which should be airtight to prevent any steam escaping.
Place in preheated oven at 150°C/300°F/Gas 2 for the same length of time as above. There is no need to top up with water during cooking.
Recipe Notes:
The quantities may be doubled if more than one pudding is required.
No Friday would be complete without a seriously delicious pizza. Check out how easy these gorgeous pizzas are to re-create at home (using our very own Progress Oatlets), and you’ll be making your own Italian fakeaways every Friday night. Ciao! #FlahavansOats
Serves 2 pizza bases|Takes 15 mins
Ingredients: For the Pizza Bases: 85g Progress Oats 1 large egg white ½ tsp salt Optional – 1tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 1tbsp grated parmesan or 1tsp nutritional yeast For the tomato topping: 400g tin chopped tomatoes 2 tbsp tomato purée 1 tsp dried mixed herbs 1 tsp honey 1 tsp sea salt flakes Couple of grinds of black pepper
Method: For the Pizza Bases: Pre-heat the oven 200C Combine the oats, egg white, salt and season in a high-speed blender and blitz for 2 minutes until completely blended. Heat a small heavy based frying pan over a medium heat. Add one tsp of vegetable oil. Spread half the oat mixture over the pan and cook for 2 minutes until the mixture firms up. Move the oat base onto a lined baking sheet and spread over the toppings and bake for 5 minutes until the pizza is cooked through
For the tomato topping:
Drain the tinned tomatoes through a sieve over a bowl, pressing with the back of a ladle until about most of the juice has drained. Tip the sieved tomatoes into a bowl and stir in the tomato purée, herbs, sugar and plenty of salt and pepper. Pour the tomato mix into a high-speed blender and blitz for 1 minute.
When you think of bananas, you probably imagine the ripe, sweet ones. But raw bananas—the unripe variety—are just as powerful when it comes to health benefits. Unlike their sweet friends, they’re packed with resistant starch, fibre, and essential nutrients that make them a game-changer for digestion, weight management, and overall health.
From supporting gut health to keeping blood sugar in check, the benefits of raw bananas are seriously underrated. In this blog, we’ll discuss the banana’s nutritional value, top health benefits, and the best ways to include it in your diet.
What Are Raw Bananas?
Raw bananas are merely unripe green bananas that are starchier, tougher, and less sweet than bananas when they are ripe. They’re popular in Indian, Thai, and Caribbean cooking, usually cooked into flavorful dishes, stir-fries, or even fried as chips.
What makes them special? It’s the amazing nutrients in raw bananas. The banana’s raw nutrition consists of:
Resistant starch – A special fibre that enhances digestion and aids in weight loss.
Potassium – Sustains muscle and heart function.
Vitamin C – Increases immunity and skin.
Vitamin B6 – Required for brain function and metabolism.
Magnesium – Aids muscle repair and bone development.
With so many nutrients in raw bananas, it’s little wonder that the benefits of eating raw bananas translate to numerous areas of health.
15 Health Benefits of Raw Bananas
Below are 15 awesome health benefits of raw bananas and why you should consume raw bananas daily:
1. Promotes Gut Health
One of the greatest benefits of raw bananas is that they enhance digestion. The resistant starch in raw bananas serves as a prebiotic, i.e., it provides the good bacteria in your stomach. These beneficial bacteria are responsible for food breakdown, nutrient absorption, and inhibiting bloating, gas, and constipation. [1] A proper gut microbiome also enhances immunity and inhibits digestive disorders like IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome).
2. Promotes Weight Loss
When dieting for weight reduction, raw bananas are to your rescue. The fibre and resistant starch content of raw bananas keep you satiated for longer, doing away with unwanted snacking. As opposed to ripe bananas, which contain more sugar, raw bananas contain complex carbohydrates, which get digested slowly, ensuring constant metabolism. Raw bananas also suppress insulin surges, leading to fat storage.
3. Regulates Blood Sugar Levels
For insulin-resistant individuals or diabetics, raw bananas are a smart food choice. The nutrients in raw bananas contain resistant starch, which does not break down the carbohydrates immediately. This results in a slow release of sugar into the bloodstream, thus avoiding sudden peaks and dumps. Eating them regularly enhances the sensitivity of insulin, allowing the body to control blood sugar levels naturally.
4. Improves Heart Health
Raw bananas are rich in potassium, which is a mineral that assists in maintaining blood pressure. Potassium controls the body’s sodium to avoid high blood pressure and also lightens the workload of the heart. Raw banana nutrients also control healthy cholesterol levels by lowering LDL (bad cholesterol) and raising HDL (good cholesterol), lowering the risk of stroke and heart disease. [2]
5. Controls Digestive Health
If you have digestive problems, incorporating raw bananas into your diet can be magical. High fibre content ensures smooth digestion and reduces the risk of constipation. Meanwhile, their resistant starch behaves like a natural equaliser, calming the digestive tract and warding off diarrhoea and bloating. Additionally, they are rich in tannins, which possess gentle astringent characteristics that cure loose stools. [3]
6. Enhances Insulin Sensitivity
Insulin sensitivity refers to how your cells absorb insulin and utilise glucose to produce energy. Insulin resistance is a primary cause of Type 2 diabetes. It has been found that raw bananas contain resistant starch, and consuming them makes one more insulin sensitive, thus adding them to the list as an ideal product for a diet-balanced diabetic life. [4] Regular consumption is said to fight insulin resistance and support the improved control of blood sugar levels.
7. Strengthens Bones
Raw bananas are rich in magnesium, a mineral that promotes calcium absorption and bone density. Raw bananas are also beneficial for preventing osteoporosis and ensuring healthy bones during old age. Magnesium has the function of contracting and relaxing muscles and hence is required for bone and muscle health in general.
8. Reduces Inflammation
Inflammation is the cause of most chronic conditions, such as arthritis, heart disease, and even cancer. [5] Raw bananas are a storehouse of antioxidants and vitamin C, which fight oxidative stress and reduce inflammation in the body. Raw bananas protect the body from cell damage by fighting free radicals, slowing down ageing, and making the body healthier.
9. Stimulates Brain Function
Raw bananas can also stimulate the brain. They contain vitamin B6, which is important for the synthesis of neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine. These brain chemicals control mood, sleep, and thinking. Raw bananas can improve memory, focus, and overall mental health and cut the risk of neurological disorders. [6]
10. Helps Control Diarrhoea
Among the main benefits of eating raw bananas is that a raw banana helps relieve diarrhoea effectively. Raw bananas have high levels of pectin and tannins that work to remove excess water content from the intestines, compacting loose motions. Their electrolytes are also lost and have to be restored in the process. This explains why raw bananas have been particularly advocated as an unprocessed, organic remedy to deal with diarrhoea according to customary medicinal practices.
11. Keeps Kidney Stones Away
Kidney stones occur when calcium and other minerals tend to deposit themselves in the kidneys. The presence of potassium in raw bananas serves to prevent that by ensuring excessive calcium is being removed through the urine rather than deposited and forming stones. The magnesium in them also serves to maintain healthy kidneys and curb the risk of urinary tract infections (UTIs).
12. Offers Long-Term Energy
Unlike energy-crushing candies, raw bananas are a long-lasting source of energy. Their slow-digesting complex carbohydrates deliver energy throughout the day. This is a perfect pre-workout food since it provides you with the energy you require without overdriving your blood sugar levels.
13. Supports Skin Health
Raw bananas are beneficial for your skin as well! Antioxidants and vitamin C in raw bananas fight off free radicals, preventing premature ageing, keeping your skin shining and firm, and triggering skin elasticity and healing due to the production of collagen. Mashed raw bananas applied as a face pack can calm acne, redness, and dryness.
14. Aids Muscle Recovery
If you are getting muscle cramps or pain after exercising daily, raw bananas can be your resort. Raw bananas contain magnesium and potassium, which have a significant role in repairing muscles by inhibiting inflammation and cramps. Sports athletes and health-conscious people eat raw bananas to quicken recovery after exercise and enhance the functioning of muscles.
15. Naturally Gluten-Free
Raw bananas are a very good substitute for normal grains for individuals suffering from gluten intolerance or celiac disease. Raw bananas can be converted into gluten-free banana flour and can be consumed as an excellent wheat flour substitute while cooking. Raw bananas are thus a good and versatile source of sustenance for individuals seeking to do away with gluten intake yet achieve the taste of scrumptious and healthy foods.
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