Friday, August 24, 2012
Tofu creators needed!
We're pretty interested in food at Green Renters. We run workshops on reducing food waste, making your own jams and preserves, beer, Christmas puddings and ginger beer. We aim to make our classes informative, affordable and above all, suitable for renters, most of whom don't have the luxury of a full size kitchen complete with a bench full of gadgetry.
We are currently looking for people in Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide who make their own tempeh, soy milk and tofu and would be interested in teaching these skills to others in a paid class environment. We cover all material expenses and can assist with presenter skills and the writing of the workshop.
You can read more about Green Renters and our presenter roles here.
If you are interested, we'd love to hear from you!
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Do you make your own bread?

I was interested to read this article about the environmental benefits of making your own bread, with a breadmaker. These include the use of bulk materials and less travel and packaging. Further, it is alleged that a bread machine can do doughs, artisan breads, gluten-free loafs, and even jams and chutneys.
In our house we're not big bread eaters. We struggle to finish a loaf in a week. So for us it would most likely not be cost effective. Further I'm not meant to eat wheat so we invariably buy some kind of organic, whole loaf anyway. But for a big family it may be the way to go, what do you think?
Are there other things you make from scratch rather than buy? A dear friend makes the most amazing jams and chutneys and I've featured the benefits of making your own shortbread and I also like to make scones. We'll also soon be subject to an influx of zucchinis which will nessitate some busy baking. I'd also like to try making tomato sauces for presents.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Free silverbeet!

Ingredients:
Method:
2. add cheese and condiments and mix through. Allow to cool.
4. Cut pastry into triangles, spoon mix to the centre and fold over pasty. Seal by tweaking the edges.
Could you live on a dollar a day?
A vegetarian couple, Christopher and Kerrie, decided to look at the dietary realities of low cost living, spending only $1 per day on food each with no handouts allowed. You can read about their journey here . I was shocked that they couldn't afford store bought bread (having always been taught that it's cheaper than making your own) or fresh fruit and vegetables. It's an extremely interesting story that has recieved quite a bit of press such as this article in the New York Times.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Need help with leftovers?
www.lovefoodhatewaste.com
Monday, September 1, 2008
W is for Watercress!

I've not tried watercress recipes extensively, as I've found it hard to buy, particularly if you don't want to go to big supermarkets. If you can't find it and would like to try these recipes, I'd substitute salad greens of your choice.
Goat's Cheese and Watercress Quiche

FOR THE PASTRY
- 225g gluten-free flour , plus extra for rolling
- 100g butter
- 1 large egg , beaten, plus extra beaten egg for brushing
FOR THE FILLING
- 1 medium onion , finely chopped
- 1 tbsp oil
- 100g watercress , roughly chopped
- 2 large eggs
- 150ml milk
- 150ml log soft rindless goat's cheese , in rough chunks
- freshly grated nutmeg , optional
Method:
- Put the flour and a pinch of salt in a large bowl. Rub in the butter until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs. Stir in the egg and about 1-2 tbsp water to form a soft dough. Knead well then wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 200C/gas 6/fan 180C. Knead the pastry again and roll it out to line a 20cm loose-bottomed flan tin (the pastry won't shrink, so no need to chill). Patch holes with spare pastry and brush the base and sides with egg.
- For the filling, fry the onion in the oil until just soft, add the watercress and cook until just wilted. Beat the eggs and milk and stir in the watercress mixture and goat's cheese.
- Season and if you like, add a pinch of nutmeg. Put the flan tin on a bakingsheet and bake the pastry blind for 5 minutes. Add the filling and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 180C/gas 4/ fan 160C and cook for 25-30 minutes or until lightly set
Watercress and Pinenut Mayonnaise
Ingredients:
- 1 bunch of watercress
- 1 cup of fresh parsley leaves
- 1/4 cup of cream
- 2 tbsp of toasted pine nuts
- 3 tbsp of plain mayonnaise
- salt and pepper
Method:
Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil. Pick all the leaves from a bunch of watercress. Together with a cup of fresh parsley leaves, throw the watercress in the boiling water for 30 seconds. Drain well and mix the blanched leaves with 1/4 cup of cream. Puree and pass through a sieve.
Place in a saucepan and boil gently until only about 3 tablespoons of green paste is left. Puree 2 tablespoons of toasted pine nuts and add to the paste. Stir in 3 tablespoons plain mayonnaise and season.T is for turnips!

According to wikipedia you might want to consider the swede, (yellow) turnip, swedish a root which originated as a cross between the cabbage and the turnip. Its leaves can also be eaten as a leaf vegetable. It looks like this:

My experience with turnips is most commonly seeing them packaged in a 'soup' vegetable packet at the supermarket containing carrots, turnips, parsnips, onion and celery. I've been determined to find tastier ways to cook and consume...
Turnip and Fennel Flan

Ingredients:
- 400g white turnips
- 400g fennel, trimmed weight
- 1 small onion, peeled and thinly sliced
- 3 tbsp mascarpone
- 120g egg whites
- 2 tbsp rosemary, finely chopped
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 40g butter
- 100ml extra virgin olive oil
- 8 baby turnips, very thinly sliced into rounds
- 2 tomatoes, seeded and diced
- 6 tbsp chives, finely sliced
Method:
Peel the 400g of turnips and slice into 1/2 cm thick rounds. Trim outer leaves from fennel and cut into 1/2 cm slices.
Bring a pot of salted water to the boil and plunge in turnips, fennel and onion for 3-4 minutes until tender. Drain, cool a little and roughly chop, then mix with mascarpone.
Beat egg whites and rosemary together lightly with a fork and mix with turnips, fennel and onion. Season well with salt and pepper.
Butter six 12cm diameter ramekins and fill with mixture to a depth of 2cm. Bake in a preheated 160C oven for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a frypan and fry baby turnip slices on both sides until golden.
Drain on absorbent paper. Serve flans with turnip slices on top as well as diced tomato and finish with chopped chives.
Serves 6
Turnip and Potato Patties

Ingredients
- 1/2 pound turnips, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch cubes (about 1 1/3 cups)
- 6 oz potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 1 cup)
- 2 1/2 Tbsp thinly sliced scallion green
- 1 egg, beaten lightly
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- Grapeseed oil, peanut oil, or canola oil (high smoke point vegetable oils)
- Salt and pepper
Method
1 In a large saucepan of boiling salted water, cook the turnip and potato cubes for 15 to 17 minutes, until they are tender, and drain them. In a bowl, mash them with a fork and stir in the scallions, the egg, flour, and salt and pepper to taste.
2 Coat the bottom of a large, heavy bottomed skillet with about 1/4-inch of the oil. Heat the pan on medium high heat until the surface of the oil begins to shimmer, but not smoke. Spoon 1/4-cup mounds of the turnip potato batter into the pan, flattening them into 1/2-inch thick patties with the back of a spatula. Fry the patties until they are golden, turning them once, about 4 minutes on each side. Transfer the patties to paper towels to drain off excess oil.
Makes six patties.
2 lb Rutabaga or turnips
2 tb Butter
1/4 c Liquid honey
1/4 ts Ground ginger
Salt and pepper
Peel rutabaga and cut into 1/2 inch thick slices; halve or quarter slices. In pot of boiling salted water, cook rutabaga for 15 minutes (turnips for 8 minutes) or just until tender; drain.
Stir in butter; cook over high heat, shaking pan often, for 1 minute or until coated. Stir in honey, ginger, and salt and pepper to taste; cook, stirring often, for 1 minute or until glazed. Makes 4 servings
Sunday, August 17, 2008
R is for Rhubarb

I've always been a bit scared of rhubarb. Any plant that contains poisonous bits makes me nervous. But after a rather excellent crumble, I'm planning on planting some seedlings.
Apple and rhubarb crumble
Ingredients (serves 4)
- 1 bunch (425g) rhubarb, cut into 2cm pieces
- 3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced
- 2 tablespoons caster sugar
- finely grated rind and juice of 1 orange
- 3/4 cup self-raising flour, sifted
- 3/4 cup Healtheries Berry & Apple Bircher Muesli
- 100g butter, chilled, cubed
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup roasted hazelnuts, roughly chopped
Method
- Preheat oven to 180°C. Put rhubarb, apple, sugar, orange rind and juice into a rectangular ovenproof dish (26cm x 16cm). Stir until well-combined.
- Combine flour and muesli in a large bowl. Add butter. Using your fingertips, rub butter into flour and muesli mixture. Stir in sugar and hazelnuts. Sprinkle over rhubarb and apple mixture.
- Bake for 45 minutes or until crumble is golden brown. Serve immediately.
Wash and finely chop 1kg of rhubarb.
Squeeze juice from 2 lemons, finely shred the rind and place these and the rhubarb into a bucket or ceramic bowl with 1 1/2 tbs of white wine vinegar, 750g sugar and 4.8 litres (1.25 gallons) water.
Cover and stand for 48 hrs. Strain through muslin 3 times, bottle and seal with spring loaded caps (corks will pop). Stand 2 weeks in a cool, dark place.
from It’s Raining Plums by Xanthe Clay
Makes 12 muffins
You’ll need:
250g soft brown sugar
120ml vegetable oil
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
225ml buttermilk or plain yogurt
170g rhubarb, diced into 1cm pieces
80g walnuts, chopped (optional)
280g plain flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp baking powder
40g wheatgerm
1. Preheat the oven to gas mark 6/200C/400F. Grease or line a twelve-cup muffin tin.
2. In a large bowl, mix the sugar, oil, egg, vanilla extract and buttermilk or yogurt.
3. Stir in the rhubarb and nuts.
4. Sift over the flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda, and add the wheatgerm. Fold together until just blended but still rather lumpy and uneven looking. Spoon into the muffin tin and bake for 20 to 25 minutes.
5. Leave for 5 minutes to cool before removing from the tin.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
The True Cost of Food-Tonight
A kilogram of beef contains between 15,000 and 100,000 litres of embodied water. For every kilogram of wheat grown in Australia, seven kilograms of topsoil are lost. We give lip service to concerns about peak oil and greenhouse gases, yet our agricultural industry is utterly dependent on unsustainable quantities of polluting petrochemicals.
There’s no reason why this insanity can’t be quickly and effortlessly changed to a geoist system of economics which inherently recognises the true value of natural resources. The major obstacle to change actually lies with the peddlers of our current neoclassical economics. You can side with these peddlers and relax, ignore the food riots, have a beer and flick on the TV, or you can come and be prepared in the knowledge that will help in the transition away from the consequences of our dietary choices.
Speaker: Karl Williams (a.k.a. Mr. Ed)
Time: 7 pm, Friday August 1st
Venue: EarthSharing Australia, 1st Floor, 27 Hardware Lane, Melbourne
All welcome, light supper provided, gold coin donation,RSVP appreciated to Karl Fitzgerald or via 9670-2754
Monday, July 21, 2008
The True Cost of Food

A kilogram of beef contains between 15,000 and 100,000 litres of embodied water. For every kilogram of wheat grown in Australia, seven kilograms of topsoil are lost. We give lip service to concerns about peak oil and greenhouse gases, yet our agricultural industry is utterly dependent on unsustainable quantities of polluting petrochemicals.
"There’s no reason why this insanity can’t be quickly and effortlessly changed to a geoist system of economics which inherently recognises the true value of natural resources. The major obstacle to change actually lies with the peddlers of our current neoclassical economics. You can side with these peddlers and relax, ignore the food riots, have a beer and flick on the TV, or you can come and be prepared in the knowledge that will help in the transition away from the consequences of our dietary choices".
Speaker: Karl Williams (a.k.a. Mr. Ed)
Time: 7 pm, Friday August 1st
Venue: EarthSharing Australia, 1st Floor, 27 Hardware Lane, Melbourne
All welcome, light supper provided, gold coin donation,RSVP appreciated to Karl Fitzgerald or via 9670-2754
Friday, July 18, 2008
Palm Oil
Added to that, it's not a legal requirement in Australia to state whether Palm oil is included in food products and is normally listed as 'Vegetable Oil'. Issues like this affect all of us, as it's quite easy to do something about them, boycotting certain foods and letter writing to members of parliament and food companies all help...
So, get going renters everywhere!
There are a lot of resources out there, but here's a good Australian one.
www.palmoilaction.org.au
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Do you like chocolate?
******************************
11am (for 11:15 start)
All Nations Park, Dennis St Northcote, (Mel 30 G7)
Indulge your love of cycling and your love of Chocolate with a ride that
takes all the Chocolate Cafés between Northcote and the City.
This will be a ride at social pace via quiet back streets and off road
paths that takes in Coco Loco (High St Northcote), San Churro (Brunswick
St Fitzroy), Coco Black (Lygon St Carlton), Frau´s (Victoria St North
Melbourne) and Max Brenner (Melbourne Central CBD).
It will be a decadent day that would make Augustus Gloop proud.
And for the truly gluttonous there´s always the option finish up at the
Chocolate Rush Festival at Abbotsford Convent
http://www.chocolaterush.com.
organiser: bikenerd
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Real Food Film Festival
This included two films:
Store Wars
andThe World According to Monsanto
This is a brilliant film and definitely worth a look. You can view it online hereNext Week's Screening:
Tuesday 1st July 6.30pm sharp
The short documentary on Melbourne’s ‘Food not Bombs’ (6 min) and
‘We feed the world’ (95 min - subtitles) which investigates food and globalisation, fishermen and farmers, drivers and high-powered corporate executives, the flow of goods and cash, a film about scarcity amid plenty. Desert consists of the spoof Matrix animation titled ‘Meatrix’ (5 min) where Moothius and Leo discover the impacts of factory farming.
Free Entry.
Drinks and food available from the bar.
Seating is limited and RSVP is preferred.
For bookings and more information, email realfood@melbourne.foe.org.au
Organised by: Friends of the Earth Melbourne Real Food group
Supported by: Loop Bar, 23 Meyers Place Melbourne

