These Herby Green Fritters look like they should never work - but they do! So healthy and tasty, and a great way to use fresh spring greens and herbs or when you are having a clean up of the vege garden. You can use any combination of greens and herbs that you like and the ratios are not important. 3 firmly packed cups of finely chopped greens (spinach, silverbeet, chard, kale, celery leaves, grated zucchini, peas) 1 firmly packed cup of finely chopped herbs (parsley, oregano, marjoram, … [Read more...]
Pea & Broad Bean Risotto Recipe
Pea & Broad Bean Risotto is one of my favourite spring dishes with young tender broad beans and peas fresh from the garden paired with mint. 4 cups Vegetable Stock 1/2 cup wine (optional) 1 tbsp olive oil 2 tbsp butter 1 small onion, finely diced 1 cup Arborio rice 3/4 cup peas (I had to use frozen as my peas didn't survive the winter storms) 3/4 cup broad beans 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped 2 tbsp crumbled feta (optional) Bring stock and … [Read more...]
Crustless Vegetable Quiche Recipe
This Crustless Vegetable Quiche recipe is a great way to use whatever vegetables you happen to have in the garden or fridge. It is quick and easy to make and very versatile, perfect for a tasty lunch served with a green salad and some chutney or relish. 1 cup grated cheese 1 onion finely chopped 1/2 cup flour 1/2 tsp baking powder 4 eggs beaten 1 1/2 cups milk salt and pepper 2 cups chopped vegetables (such as tomato, broccoli, celery, zucchini, capsicum, carrot) Mix all the … [Read more...]
Eggplant Curry Recipe
This eggplant curry recipe is perfect for a simple late summer or autumn meal, and you can add whatever other vegetables you have in your garden at the time. In an earlier post I talked about how I hadn't had much luck growing eggplant but then realised that they really needed lots of summer heat so were not likely to produce their crop until well into the autumn in my garden. It is such a treat when they finally do produce a harvest and I'm always looking for new ways to use them. 2 … [Read more...]
Easy Vegetable Tarts
When you've got a glut of vegetables from your garden and are looking for something a bit different to do with them, these easy vegetable tarts are great. Quick, easy and versatile. A great way to use up leftovers and you don't have to stick with just vegetables - you can add leftover chicken, shaved ham, feta - whatever takes your fancy. Vary the recipe depending on the seasonal vegetables you have. Start with a sheet of flaky pastry and fold up the edges, pinching the corners together. … [Read more...]
Growing Pumpkins or Butternut Squash
I've never grown pumpkins or butternut squash before because they take up too much precious garden space but this year I decided to plant one and see whether it could grow in amongst my other plants - with a surprising result. This worked well to start with and the plant trailed its way around, producing lots of flowers and little butternuts started forming. But it succumbed to powdery mildew very quickly and the little butternuts dropped as the leaves shrivelled up and died before I had a … [Read more...]
Growing and Enjoying Edamame Beans
I had never even heard of edamame beans until a couple of years ago when they started appearing in the 'trendy food' scene. Now I know that they are the green immature pods and seeds of soybeans. The USDA states that edamame beans are, "a soybean that can be eaten fresh and are best known as a snack with a nutritional punch". Edamame and other preparations of soybeans are rich in protein, dietary fiber, and micronutrients, particularly folate,manganese, phosphorus and vitamin K. The balance of … [Read more...]
Pasta with Mushrooms and Broad Beans
Last year I wrote about how my broad beans had turned into triffids and had started to take over the garden. Earlier this year I proudly showed how I had tamed the broad beans in this winter's veggie garden and had them growing straight upwards using garden stakes and string. Well I gloated too soon. Now I am having to use a ladder to pick my broad beans! And they have burst out of the string and are leaning all over my raspberries. But I can't really complain as they are producing lots of … [Read more...]
Growing Broccoli
Broccoli is a Superfood. It is one of the most widely researched members of the brassica family (broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts) and is renowned for its health giving properties. Broccoli is known to have a protective effect against cancer. It also contains a wide range of phytochemicals which protect against many chronic diseases. Broccoli is also a good source of beta carotene, vitamin C, folate and fibre. Broccoli is a wonderful vegetable to grow in the winter - it … [Read more...]
The Winter Vegetable Garden
Although my backyard is north facing, it is on a south slope and in winter a lot of the garden is in shadow. For years I assumed I wouldn't be able to grow any vegetables because they wouldn't get enough sun. About 4 years ago I decided to just put some vegetable seedlings in and see what happened. Much to my surprise and delight everything grew just fine, so I have been planting them every winter since. I must admit that sometimes I question my sanity and wonder whether I should just … [Read more...]