SCHOOL EDITION 29 MARCH 2023 - Flipbook - Page 31
FARMFAMILY
FARMWEEK
JANUARY 23 2020
ARTISAN FOOD HEROES
Joanne Molloy, TS Foods
This week’s recipe
J
OANNE Molloy is a director
of TS Foods, a family
business established in
1981 by her parents, Tony and
Ann Steele. Since then, TS Foods
has grown into one of Northern
Ireland’s most successful
commercial food manufacturers,
providing customers with
exceptional choice, quality and
value.
The company created its iconic
‘Chip Shop Pastie’ – the first
of its kind to be sold to food
retailers here, which was met
with unprecedented demand
nationwide.
Following its huge success, the
company, which employs 100
people, developed and marketed
an entire range under the popular
‘Tony’s Chippy’ range from its
purpose built premises in Mary
Street, Castlewellan.
In 1983, it pinpointed another
gap in the market and became
ROASTED CHESTNUT
MUSHROOM CAPS
filled with Smoked Bacon,
Leek, Peppers & Mozzarella
INGREDIENTS:
the first food company to sell
ready prepared fresh breadcrumb
stuffing.
To this day, TS Foods maintains
the wholesome family orientated
roots it is known for and is now
in the second generation of the
Steele family with Joanne and her
brother David Steele at the helm
of the ever expanding business.
31
n 1 x pack TS Foods Premium
Smoked Bacon & Leek Stufng;
n 2 x slices of bacon;
n 1 x pack Mixed Peppers (You’ll
need to nely dice 100g of
these);
n 1 x pack grated mozzarella;
n 1 x pack of Chestnut
Mushrooms.
These deliciously
meaty mushroom
bites could not be
packed with more
flavour!! And topped
with creamy cheese,
these really are the
ultimate canape!
METHOD:
1. Heat oven to
220C/200C Fan/Gas 7. Wipe the
mushrooms to remove any dirt,
then turn upside down and
remove the stalks. Place on a
baking tray top-side down.
2. Fry the Bacon for 8-10 mins
until just starting to crisp up,
remove & pat dry then dice into
small pieces and pop to one side
for now.
3. Finely chop the peppers &
mushroom stalks and now fry
these on a moderate heat for
about 5 mins until the peppers
and mushroom stalks are cooked
then remove from the heat and
add the bacon pieces and stir
together.
4. In a bowl mix the TS Foods
Premium Smoked Bacon &
Leek Stufng with 2 handfuls of
mozzarella and mix until it starts
to come together. Spoon into the
hollows of the mushrooms and
sprinkle with the bacon & pepper
mix all the way to the top, then
top with the stufng mix and
sprinkle generously with grated
mozzarella.
5. Bake for approximately 10-15
mins until the cheese has melted
and serve immediately on your
favourite serving platter.
Professor extols red meat and
dairy produce in balanced diet
A
LEADING physician has highlighted
the role of red meat and sustainable
farming in tackling “the greatest
challenge of the century”.
Professor Alice Stanton, Director of
Human Health at agri technology company
Devenish, has outlined the importance of
consuming sustainably farmed fresh foods,
particularly red meat, as key to feeding a
growing global population and encouraging
good human health and nutrition.
Speaking at the recent Oxford Farming
Conference, Prof Stanton outlined the key
issues she believes must be addressed to
tackle worldwide health issues, namely
through the production and consumption of
quality, nutritional, sustainable food.
In doing so, Prof Stanton directly
challenged the position that consuming
less red meat and dairy is advantageous to
human health and the environment.
She said: “The greatest challenge of the
century is to feed a growing population
with nutritious food. Last year’s EAT-Lancet
Commission Summary Report suggests
we eat half as much meat and dairy as we
currently do, and twice as much plant-based
food. This is simply not viable.
“The population does not currently
consume the recommended amount of fruit
and vegetables and, importantly, there are
clear statistics that prove a major reduction
in red meat and dairy farming is actually
very likely to harm human health.
“A 2019 Lancet publication outlined the
leading global nutritional risk factors in the
world today. The most common nutritional
problems leading to deaths and disease were
diets low in grains, high in salt, decient in
wholegrains, fruits, vegetables, nuts and
seeds, low in Omega-3 fatty acids and low
in iron. Diets excessive in red meat were
responsible for less than 0.5 per cent of
global deaths and disease burden.
“Red meat is rich in nutrients, including
iron, zinc and selenium. Iron deciency alone
causes signicant disease burden worldwide,
including fatigue and, crucially, poor child
development.
“The iron obtained from meat is much more
readily bio-available, that is, more easily
accessed by the human body, than that of the
iron contained within plant sources.
“Consumed between two and ve times per
LEFT: Professor Alice Stanton.
week, red meat has actually been proven to
be protective of human health,” Prof Stanton
said.
Alongside the benets of consuming red
meat as part of a balanced diet, which
includes fruits, vegetables, nuts and legumes,
Prof Stanton underlined the critical need to
enhance the quality of fresh foods and instil
sustainable farming practices.
“The pressure to grow more food over the
last ve decades has forced farmers to focus
on quantity rather than quality and factors
such as the appearance of vegetables for
retail use have become more important than
nutrient density.
“In many fruits, vegetables and grains for
example, we have witnessed a 20-40 per cent
decrease in protein, calcium and riboavin
over the last 50 years. If we continue to
increase carbon dioxide concentration in the
air, this problem will become worse.
“Rather than replace fresh meat and
dairy with additive-rich, calorie-rich,
processed foods, which are nutritionally
disadvantageous, we must focus on
optimising the nutritional quality of fresh
foods and instilling sustainable agricultural
practices that will allow for long-term
provision of those foods which promote good
health,” Prof Stanton said.
Prof Stanton said that a greater consumer
understanding of nutrition is vital
and discussed the role of government
intervention in helping deliver this: “Pivotal
to encouraging behavioural change amongst
consumers is promoting a greater awareness
of the advantageous nutrients in food.”
FOREST FEAST TOP OF THE POOL
H
EALTHY snack brand
Forest Feast has launched
its sponsorship of the
‘Aquasprint Junior Swimming
League’ for the 10th consecutive
year.
The company aims to encourage
young people to be more active
and uphold healthy and nutritious
lifestyles by taking an interest in a
competitive sport.
The Forest Feast Aquasprint
Junior Swimming League will
see 1,600 young, up and coming
swimmers aged between eight
and 12 from 26 clubs compete in
ve divisions throughout the year,
before competing in the nals in
June.
The sponsorship was ofcially
launched at Bangor Aurora Aquatic
and Leisure Complex by Forest
Feast’s Trade Marketing Manager
Deirdre Burns, Linda Stoops from
Swim Ulster and Commonwealth
athletes Emma Reid and Conor
Ferguson, who both competed in
the rst ever Aquasprint 10 years
ago.
Ms Burns said: “We are extremely
proud to be sponsoring Aquasprint
for the 10th consecutive year and
are really looking forward to seeing
what the competition holds for
all the swimmers from across the
region.
“Swimming has been a core focus
for Forest Feast over the last 10
years as we want to encourage
families and kids to keep t and
healthy in fun environments.
“As a healthy snack brand we
endorse a fully balanced diet and
active lifestyle. Aquasprint is
about empowering young people
to believe in themselves and their
abilities and we are completely on
board with this ethos.”
Emma Reid, from Bangor, and
Conor Ferguson, from Larne,
started their swimming careers
at the rst ever Forest Feast
Aquasprint Junior Swimming
League 10 years ago.
Since then they have gone on to
compete for Northern Ireland at the
Commonwealth games and hope to
inspire other to pursue competitive
swimming.
Emma said: “The Forest Feast
Aquasprint Junior Swimming
League is a fantastic opportunity
for young aspiring swimmers to get
involved with their local club and
kick-start their career. I competed
in the rst competition 10 years ago
and it gave me a space to develop
my skills and grow my love for the
sport.
“Since then I have gone on to
win in Swim Ulster, the Irish
Championships and have also
competed at the Commonwealth
games.”
Conor said: “Aquasprint gave me
the supportive and encouraging
environment that every young
swimmer needs to hone their skills.
LEFT: Deirdre
Burns, from
Forest Feast,
Linda Stoops from
Swim Ulster, and
Commonwealth
athletes Emma
Reid and Conor
Ferguson launched
the 2020 Forest
Feast Aquasprint
Junior Swimming
League in Bangor
Aurora Aquatic and
Leisure Complex.
“It’s been a delight to grow
up through the ranks of this
outstanding competition and it’s
been encouraging to see the talent
that it fosters.
“Year on year, further outstanding
swimmers are identied which
goes to prove how having a support
system such as Aquasprint in place
can achieve great things.”
Linda Stoops from Swim Ulster
said: “We are delighted to have
Forest Feast on board as title
sponsor for the 10th year and we
would like to thank all those who
have been involved in this journey
and we look forward to hopefully
many more years to come! “
n Further details about the
Forest Feast Aquasprint Junior
Swimming League can be found at
Aquasprint.co.uk