Author: Susan Hammersley

We are approaching the ‘hungry gap’ when UK winter veg are coming to an end and spring crops are still in seedling stage. Some veg are transported from Spain e.g cauliflowers, though if you look carefully you will still find some grown in the UK . You can be assured I will always look first!

Mains including a selection of homemade breads and variety of salads £8.00

Dessert £1.50

Cash and card accepted

Mains

Saag aloo ‘shepherd’s’ pie– spiced potato, cauliflower, beans and kale makes a tasty topping for Indian- inspired shepherd’s pie. A comforting vegetarian dish, popular when we served it last time-Our beans are a mix of UK grown Carlin peas and pinto beans .  Carlin peas contain manganese and B vitamins, especially B1 GF DF Ve

Spinach, lentil & mushroom wellington– the golden puff pastry pie is layered with fava bean hummus, spinach, mushrooms and cashew nut pate and a mixture of succulent thyme flavoured mushrooms and lentils DF

Vegetable bean pot served with herby breadcrumbs– get all your five-a-day with this vegetarian bean pot. It’s bursting with nutrients, low in calories and packed with flavour. Our beans are UK grown flageolet from Hodmedods

Pasta bake – containing GF pasta, leeks and spinach in a rich tomato sauce topped with GF breadcrumbs. We used Yeast flakes to replace parmesan for a cheesy flavour GF DF Ve

Salads

Beetroot and black rice

Roasted veg on bed of farro and served with fava bean hummus-farro is a protein and fibre-packed whole grain that has ancient roots — rich in nutrients, minerals, and antioxidants. Farro we cook with is UK grown NOT GF

Rainbow slaw– onion, red cabbage parsnip, carrot, apples, raisins, nuts, poppy seeds & fresh herbs

Dessert

Apple strudel -served with custard made with oat milk

Please note- We cannot guarantee the food is free from ingredients that might cause an allergic reaction. Ingredients for all recipes available for inspection on the day

Welcome to the first café in 2025. We will continue to avoid soya and palm oil and as much single use plastic as possible. By eating with us, you are not only choosing to be kind to your body but helping look after our planet too, in the company of friendly ,welcoming people. This is our strap line

Good for the planet, good for community, good for you!

Our prices have gone up by 50p . We take cash and card

Mains with variety of salads and Marge’s home made, delicious breads £8

Dessert £1.50

Mains

Pumpkin, chestnut and Borlotti bean stew -a warming stew of seasonal veg and two varieties of beans- borlotti and cannellini – in a rich tomato sauce recipe in Waitrose weekly newspaper GF DF Ve

Khichdi- style cauliflower– if you’re a fan of veggie curries or dal, this dish, based on a South Asian classic, ticks lots of boxes . We have replaced rice with an ancient wheat grain-farro which has a delicious nutty flavour and is grown in UK. see Waitrose weekly news paper DF Ve

Butternut squash lasagne– squash, cavolo nero, spinach layered with lasagne sheets in a ricotta béchamel sauce . We use oat ‘milk’ and plant ‘butter’ to reduce the dairy ingredient. Another Waitrose weekly newspaper recipe

Pearl barley risotto -pearl barley has 10 times more fibre than risotto rice and is so much better for your gut health and blood sugar- so says Tim Spector, author of Food for Life cookbook. We add lentils and leeks with dash of creamy kefir for extra probiotic goodness

Salads

Winter Tabbouleh– bulgur wheat, cauliflower, fennel cranberries, walnuts raisins DF Ve

Roasted roots with chickpeas-carrots and parsnips are main ingredient Gf DF Ve

Creamy beetroot, lentil & coconut yogurt salad GF DF Ve

Quinoa, kale & apple – celeriac, celery, dates, walnuts, kale GF DF Ve

Dessert

Panettone

please note

We cannot guarantee the food is free from ingredients that might cause an allergic reaction. Ingredients for all recipes available for inspection on the day

Christmas Extravaganza

You are invited to wear a Christmassy item to set the mood. There will be a quiz and our unique rendition of Twelve Days of Christmas. Ticket sales (minus rent and insurance) will go to the charity Family of Hope – a school in Uganda for children with special needs.

Welcome drinks

Pomegranate mojito mocktail

or

Cranberry sangria

Starters

Carrot, butternut squash & coriander soup

or

Black garlic and chestnut pate

Mains

Mushroom, squash and chestnut wreath– mix of mushrooms, squash from my garden, chestnuts and cranberries wrapped in puff pastry DF

Orange, cranberry nut roast– very popular last year- onion, celery, carrots cranberries, walnuts & peanut butter GF Ve DF

Chestnut, mushroom and barley wellington– leeks, red pepper, shiitake mushrooms, carrots cooked in a red wine veg stock and enclosed in puff pastry

Spinach ricotta conchiglioni – giant pasta shells filled with spinach and ricotta cheeses baked in a rich béchamel sauce

sides/ salads

Roasted leek, kale and apple with vinaigrette

Sautéed red cabbage with cranberry

Bean & broccoli hash with parmentier potatoes

Raw sprouts, kale & almond salad

Spiced beetroot & wild rice salad

Desserts

Persian love cake! baked by Peter

Cranberry panettone pudding

Christmas fruit compote served with crème fraiche

tea / coffee

£7.50 mains and choice of homemade breads £1.50 dessert

we accept cash and card

Hope you enjoy the flavours of winter in our forthcoming menus. Where possible, we use UK grown beans and pulses supplied by Hodmedods, Britain’s pulse and grain pioneers. https://hodmedods.co.uk . This month we have organic veg from Stonehill Community garden. Stonehill community garden welcomes anyone who enjoys working with the soil. Find out more here-http://www.stonehillgardens.co.uk/

Mains

Winter squash, leek, kale and fennel gratin– a wholesome and hearty gratin bake with organic squash from my garden and leeks from Stonehill community garden (contains nuts)

Saag aloo shepherds pie – spiced potato, cauliflower and spinach makes a tasty topping for this Indian-inspired shepherds pie. This is one of Julie’s favourite (volunteer cook) . GF DF Ve Get the recipe here https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/saag_aloo_shepherds_pie_00935

Roasted beetroot, pot barley and fava bean hummus– organic beetroot from Stonehill Community garden paired with pearled naked barley from Hodmedods make a nutritious combination. Fava beans, also UK grown, are Britain’s original bean!

Salads

Smoked quinoa, kale & apple-GF contains nuts

Spelt, chickpea, beetroot and feta-spelt is an ancient wheat grain with many potential health benefits

Black rice with piquillo peppers, walnuts and sultanas -Black rice is high in antioxidants

Winter slaw– red cabbage, celeriac, carrot and red onion with pomegranate dressing

Dessert

Blackberry, apple and pear cobbler– Gf DF Ve- back by popular demand!

please note We cannot guarantee the food is free from ingredients that might cause an allergic reaction. Ingredients for recipes available for inspection on the day

£7.50 mains £1.50 dessert

we accept cash and card

Hope you enjoy the flavours of autumn in our forthcoming menus. Where possible, we use UK grown beans and pulses supplied by Hodmedods, Britain’s pulse and grain pioneers. https://hodmedods.co.uk Vegetables are sourced from Wallingford saturday organic market and Waitrose organic wherever possible so menus may change if vegetables required are not available.

Mains

Bean cassoulet with herby breadcrumbs-get all of your five-a-day in one hit! (leeks, carrots, celery, fennel, garlic cooked in white wine and tomato sauce). It’s bursting with nutrients, low in calories and packed with flavour……. but don’t just take our word for it DF Ve

Spicy fava bean stew– inspired by the classic Egyptian dish Ful Medames ( but without eggs) using UK grown fava beans. Did you know, these delicious, nutritious beans are a variety of broad bean, Vicia faba, left to ripen and dry before harvest. Add a little spice to your day ! GF DF Ve

Beetroot and feta patties-packed with essential nutrients, beetroots are a great source of fibre, folate (vitamin B9), manganese, potassium, iron, and vitamin C. Numerous health benefits include improved blood flow, lower blood pressure, and increased exercise performance. You’ll be skipping off home after this one! GF

Salads

Autumn Slaw-red cabbage, celeriac, carrot, pomegranate seeds GF DF Ve

Autumn tabbouleh– bulgar wheat, fennel, cauliflower, cranberries, NUTS DF Ve not GF

Oatberry, lentils, quinoa and kale– oat berries guaranteed GF by Hodmedods

Dessert

Blackberry, apple and pear cobbler– GF DF Ve so called because it looks like cobbled street! See Jamie Oliver ‘What to eat this week’ BBC4 but with alternative GF cobble. Served with ice cream or coconut yogurt

please note We cannot guarantee the food is free from ingredients that might cause an allergic reaction. Ingredients for recipes available for inspection on the day

£7.50 main £1.50 dessert We accept cash and cheque

Enjoy the remains of summer ingredients (peppers, aubergine, runner beans, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, spring onion) before the glories of Autumn veg next month.

The menu below is dependent on the availability of ingredients supplied by the Saturday farmer’s market in Wallingford, supplemented with Waitrose organic section

Mains

Summery aubergine & tomato pasta bake – the recipe says ” Hints of the Sicilian pasta alla Norma but in pasta-bake form” ! Comes from Waitrose July magazine if you want to make for yourself. Pasta is GF but NOT DF or Ve

Courgette filo & Feta pie– Hoping there will still be courgettes, if not, we will replace with spinach. A kind of Spanakopita – always a favourite Ve NOT DF GF

Borlotti & runner bean with sage, tomato & garlic– hopefully fresh borlotti beans from my garden in a rich tomato sauce and served with a chunk of Marge’s delicious homemade bread Ve DF GF (request GF bread)

Salads

Blackened corn & red pepper salad GF Ve DF

Flageolet bean, courgette & mozzarella – Flageolet beans are immature haricot beans beloved by the French

Summer slaw– GF Ve DF

Chickpea salad

Dessert

Plum crumble

Mains £7.50 including selection of salads and home made bread. Dessert £1.50

We accept cash and card

Our UK grown veg and fruit are finally arriving in the farmers markets- spring onions, cucumbers, tomatoes, radish, potatoes, beetroot, green beans and v soon courgettes, raspberries and strawberries – organic where possible. All make their way into our new summer menu this month. ENJOY!

Mains

Spicy bean enchiladas– smoky chipotle paste enlivens this Mexican-inspired dish. Mixed beans, romano peppers and sweetcorn wrapped in corn tortillas and baked in rich tomato sauce sauce GF DF Ve

Tomato and Puy lentil lasagne -Fresh tomatoes are gently roasted to develop an intense flavour . You won’t miss the meat is this lasagne! request GF or Ve

Moroccan Tagine– full of North African spices, this dish combines red peppers, carrots, green beans and aubergines and is served on a bed of giant couscous GF if couscous omitted Ve DF

Thai curry– red peppers, aubergine, courgette or beans in a rich coconut sauce infused with a mix of Thai spices -ginger, lemongrass, coriander, cumin, lime, onion and chilli DF GF Ve

Salads

Olive and sundried tomato quinoa

Radish, potato and dill

Summer slaw

Chickpea, beetroot and feta

Dessert

Strawberry, raspberry and rhubarb compote

Please note- we cannot guarantee the food is free from ingredients that might cause an allergic reaction. Ingredients for all recipes available for inspection on the day

Mains £7.50 dessert £1.50

we accept cash and card

Finally we get to taste summer veg ! Asparagus freshly picked from Peachcroft farm and tomatoes from local market gardener. Alas, peppers and aubergine from Spain but at least seasonal- too early for UK and same for courgettes and French beans. So we wait till July for those. But for now…..

Mains

Summer veg with roasted feta– asparagus, radish, peppers, fennel and artichoke hearts with a hint of Turkish spice (pul biber )topped with roasted feta GF

Rustic tomato galette with homemade pesto– we make our own pastry with vegan butter and we use spelt flour for a healthier option Ve DF

Aubergine and pearl barley moussaka– pearl barley brings a nice nuttiness to the proceedings and makes this moussaka even heartier than the traditional meat version . The topping combines ricotta, Greek yogurt and eggs but we also offer a non dairy topping. Please ask

Stuffed peppers served with harissa yogurt– bell peppers stuffed with Puy lentils, spinach and raisins and spiced with cinnamon and cumin GF Ve DF

Salads

Summer salad with refreshing coconut cream dressing GF DF Ve

French-style potato salad GF DF Ve

Quinoa and black bean salad with zippy lime vinaigrette GF Ve DF

Beetroot, lentil and dill with creme fraiche/horseradish dressing

Dessert

Rhubarb and pear compote served with granola and coconut vanilla yogurt

Please note- we cannot guarantee the food is free from ingredients that might cause an allergic reaction. Ingredients for all recipes available for inspection on the day

Mains £7.50 including a variety of salads and sides and various home made breads

Dessert £1.50

Cash and card accepted

We are still in what is known as ‘the hungry gap’ when winter veg are getting low, even in storage, and summer veg are still growing! However we still have a healthy and tasty menu for May.

We only use olive oil – not rapeseed or any other- much has recently been written about the benefits of olive oil . Listen to Just one Thing on radio 4 last week https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001y2z6

Mains

Spinach, feta and nut puff pastry pie – a firm favourite returns! Spinach from my garden. Nuts are always a health boost and together with spinach this is indeed a wholesome option recipe here https://www.aldi.co.uk/spinach%2C-feta-%26-nut-puff-pastry-pie

Black bean and orange stew – pulses such as black beans provide a healthy source of plant protein and are high in fibre. Served with tortilla chips. Find the recipe here https://www.waitrose.com/ecom/recipe/black-bean-orange-stew GF DF Ve

Smokey leek and pea buckwheat risotto – a change from the usual risotto, but nonetheless just as delicious and definitely a better health boost. Buckwheat is gluten free and offers has a MUCH higher antioxidant capacity than rice. https://www.halenmon.com/smoked-risotto-with-peas-pancetta-mint/ We left out the pancetta! GF DF Ve

Pesto quinoa fritters -GF DF Ve this recipe is by Ella Miles, a distinguished vegetarian recipe writer, and was recently in Waitrose food magazine. With the inclusion of ground flax seeds and quinoa, this really rams up the health benefits. Listen to Michael Mosely on flax seeds ………..https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001yj87

Salads and sides

Roasted swede with rosemary and parmesan to serve

Roast gunpowder cauliflower and lentils https://www.waitrose.com/ecom/recipe/roast-gunpowder-cauliflower-lentils

Winter slaw with red cabbage, celeriac, carrot, pomegranate and red onion

Spelt salad with beetroot, feta, chickpea and apple

Please note- we cannot guarantee the food is free from ingredients that might cause an allergic reaction. Ingredients for all recipes available for inspection on the day

Mains £7.50 including variety of salads. Dessert £1.50

cash and card accepted

Mains

Alloo gobi– cauliflower and potato in a spicy tomato sauce served on brown rice. Wholesome and tasty! GF DF Ve

Cavolo nero, chickpea and rosemary stew– Cavolo nero is a type of cabbage and a great seasonable veg GF DF Ve https://www.waitrose.com/home/recipes/recipe_directory/c/cavolo-nero-chickpeaandrosemarystew.html

Fava bean casserole– fava beans are dried broad beans. They are an excellent source of protein and soluble fibre, including smaller amounts of almost all other B vitamins, selenium and calcium GF DF Ve https://hodmedods.co.uk/blogs/recipes/chestnut-and-fava-bean-casserole

Black bean enchiladas– the tomato sauce in this dish gets a kick from the chipotle sauce . We substituted carrots for sweet potatoes as the latter have huge air miles coming from USA DF Ve https://www.waitrose.com/ecom/recipe/vegan-enchiladas

Salads

Olive and sundried tomato quinoa

Blue cheese, pear and beetroot

Celeriac and kale with sweet chilli walnuts

Winter slaw

Dessert

Rhubarb crumble and non dairy custard or coconut yogurt

Please note- we cannot guarantee the food is free from ingredients that might cause an allergic reactions. Ingredients for all recipes available for inspection on the day