Home going for beginners-free workshop-November 13

Paul, Adam and Nathan from Permablitz are inviting all to this free 2-hour seminar on how and why to successfully grow your own veges and fruit.Arrive at 6:45 for a cuppa before the 7pm start.No RSVP required.

For more information email permablitz@gmail.com
Address:
Kindness House - 288 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy.

Time: 18:45 -21:00

Free silverbeet!

Our veggie garden is overflowing with silverbeet! It's been a staple in all kinds of veggie dishes and also got me into making silverbeet and fetta pastries the other night. They were a hit for all of us, even the young child we were babysitting!

I don't have any pics, but here's how it goes...

Ingredients:

onion

silverbeet

parsley

mushrooms

tomato

fetta cheese

puff pastry

salt and pepper

nutmeg

Method:

1. lightly saute all veggies. The silverbeet shrinks considerably so use more than you thought needs.

2. add cheese and condiments and mix through. Allow to cool.

3. Defrost puff pastry ( I must confess I've never made my own)

4. Cut pastry into triangles, spoon mix to the centre and fold over pasty. Seal by tweaking the edges.

5.Bake at 200c for about 20 mins or until golden.

You could certainly add tofu and/or whisked eggs if you would like more protein.

So, if you are based in Melbourne and would like some silverbeet, please let us know. We also have an ample quantity of rosemary growing in our front garden.

The benefits of growing your own veggies...

It's amazing how beneficial home growing is in terms of carbon emissions and water savings compared to veg you'd pick up at the average supermarket as the photos above illustrate. Not to mention factors like budget and taste benefits! The Food Growers Alliance do some amazing work education the public and lobbying government on the benefits of home grown and the need for increased water access for home growers.

Want to get involved? FGA holds regular meetings on the second Wednesday of every month, our next confirmed meeting will be on November 12th. Check out their site for more information

A is for apples!

I've decided to include local fruit in my spring recipes so stay tuned for some lovely fruit and vegetable recipes over spring. It doesn't look particularly spring like here in Melbourne, there are dark clouds and it's been raining earlier. But anyhow....

Many different types of apples are in season at the moment: Jonathan, Golden and Red Delicious, Granny Smith, Fuji, Braeburn, pink lady, sundowner and Lady Williams. But my co-blogger's favourite apple happens to be Braeburn and he was so delighted that it is now available in Australia that I'm dedicating these apple recipes to the Braeburn variety.

Apple Caramel Bars

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 2 cups quick oats
• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 egg
• 1 1/4 cups butter - cold
• 1 1/2 cups apple - peeled, chopped
• 
  

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350° F.
• Grease the baking pan with butter or non-stick cooking spray, set aside.
• In large bowl, combine flour, quick oats, brown sugar, baking soda, and egg. Cut in the butter and mix well until ingredients are crumbly.
• Remove 1 1/2 cups of the mixture and set aside. Press the crumb mixture into the baking pan, bake for 15 minutes in the oven.
• While crust is baking, combine caramel topping and 1/4 cup flour in small bowl; mix well.
• Sprinkle the apples over the baked crust. Drizzle the caramel mixture over the top of the apples. Sprinkle the remaining crumb mixture over the caramel.
• Place back in the oven for another 20-25 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
• Let cool completely before serving; approximately 2 hours.
• Cut into 2" squares and serve.

Baked Stuffed Apples

I'm trying these for breakfast!

Ingredients

1 Braeburn apple

2 g ground cinnamon

1 g ground nutmeg

10 g white sugar

30 g cream cheese

8 g dried cranberries

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

2. Cut the stem out of the apple and hollow out the center until it is about 1 1/2 inches wide without going through the bottom. In a small cup, stir together the cinnamon, nutmeg and sugar. Set aside half of this mixture, and mix the rest with the cream cheese and dried cranberries.

3. Sprinkle some of the reserved cinnamon sugar into the apple's cavity. Fill with the cream cheese mixture, and sprinkle the remaining cinnamon sugar on the top. Place the apple in a small baking dish.

4. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the apple is tender enough to easily pierce with a fork.

ambiguity is the devil's tetherball...

Recipe: Apple & Cucumber Sammy

1 slice of Bread (Organic White or Wheat)
1 TBSP Cream Cheese
1/2 Braeburn Apple, thinly sliced
1/4 English Cucumber, thinly sliced

Toast your bread, and spread a thin layer of cheese. Cut your slice of bread in half. Cover one half of the slice of bread with apple slices, and the other side with cucumber slices. Assemble sandwich. (Eat any leftover apples and cucumbers, cause they're good for you!)