Monday 31 January 2011

Spicy Summer Veggie Frittata

Summer Indian Fritata-1

Summer here means ripening tomatoes, chillies and fresh beans. So with todays harvest we made a delicious frittata.

Sauté a little sliced red onion, add some turmeric, paprika, red chilli and garam marsala.

Add some lightly blanched, sliced green beans and freshly sliced tomatoes.

Add some seasoned beaten eggs. Add to a lightly oiled, heated pan. Sprinkle with sunflower and pumpkin seeds.

Cook over a medium heat then finish under the grill.

A great quick, delicious, healthy meal.

Saturday 29 January 2011

Our New and Improved, Shade Structure made completely from Recycled Materials

New & Improved Shade House-2

We usually drape shade cloth from our trees when Adelaide temperatures heat up to 40 degrees Celsius.

So with 42 degrees forecast for tomorrow, this morning was spent erecting an efficient shade structure.

Last week a friend dropped off a 3 metre by 4 metre gazebo frame destined for the tip.

After a bit of experimenting with the pieces we eventually had the gazebo frame in place to provide support for the shade cloth over our unusually shaped veggie garden.

Well at the end of the day I can say our veggies were protected from the scorching sun.  Bees still feasted on the flowering plants, there was good air circulation and tomatoes ripened in the warm shade.

Our usual system was clumsy, hard to get under and far too humid.

This new and improved version is fantastic, we just hope it does not leave the Plains here for a flight to the Hills if the famous Adelaide gully winds pick up.

Wednesday 26 January 2011

Cucumber Gazpacho

Cucumber Gazpacho-11

Summer garden produce is finally ripening in our garden.

We are starting to pick tomatoes and today picked 2 Richmond green cucumbers.

So along with some fresh basil, garlic, chives, mint, red chilli, parsley, salt, pepper and a little water we blended 6 tomatoes and our peeled cucumber into this delicious cold soup which I have called cucumber gazpacho because of the delicious fresh cucumber it had.

All the herbs and veggies were freshly picked and we enjoyed the soup sitting in the garden watching heaps of bees enjoying flowering herbs and busily pollinating the plants in our garden.

LOVE!!! Summer so far!

Friday 21 January 2011

Middle Eastern Spicy Chickpea Salad

 

Batty's Garden-58

Today we had lunch with some friends so I made this delicious salad.

I always use organic dried chick peas, soak them overnight, drain them and then simmer them in fresh water until tender then drain them.

When cooked I sprinkle the chickpeas with salt, cracked black pepper and a little paprika and olive oil.

For this recipe I heated a couple of Tablespoons of Middle Eastern spice mix in a little oil to infuse the flavours.

I added this to the chick peas with some finely sliced red onions, the juice of 2 lemons, some chopped tomatoes, chopped cucumber, a dollop of tahini, a handful each of chopped mint and parsley, more black pepper, paprika and crushed garlic.

I served it on a bed of wild rocket.

It is great to have all these lovely herbs in the garden to flavour your food.

Most folks brought summer produce from their gardens including eggplant dip, zucchini fritters, tomato and basil salad and cold rolls filled with home grown veggies and herbs.

All these dishes make delicious, healthy, summer salads or vegetarian mains.

I was going to say I love summer garden produce, but then I love winter produce just as much. Whatever season it is there is always something to make flavourful meals with when you grow lots of vegetables & herbs in your garden.

Tuesday 11 January 2011

Red Capsicums, Stuffed with Tomato and Basil Rice

Summer in Adelaide brings fresh tomatoes, peppers, basil, spring onions and other herbs.

So when unexpected vegetarian guests arrive, stuffed capsicums make a delicious quick meal.

I served these peppers with a creamy mushroom sauce, roast potatoes and rosemary roasted potatoes and a green garden salad with fresh snow peas and more basil, DELICIOUS!!!

Peppers-7

Peppers-12

Summer veggies at last, I can hardly wait for more tomatoes and cucumbers to ripen to make a summer fresh Gazpacho.

Tuesday 4 January 2011

RASPBERRIES–the taste of summer direct from the Adelaide Hills.

Berry nice

 

With the late start to summer and the Christmas rush over the berries are now at there best. The raspberries along with their cousins, the English gooseberries,  black currants ,and  red and white currants are all ripe and dripping with flavour. All the berries  are grown using biodynamic methods in a cool spring fed valley.  We take the same care in picking our berries as we do growing them. This ensures only the best are sold. We don’t sell seconds for a couple of reasons-(1)  the way they are grown and picked and (2) we do all our own value adding.

mixed berries

 

Our berries are only available from our farm shop which means they have travelled no more than 300 metres. While we are picking, people drop in to the farm to buy berries. It is nice to stop picking for a few minutes and chat with regulars who enjoy buying directly from the producer. We receive direct feedback and the visitors take away high quality, fresh, biodynamic food.

Our farm shop is unique as it only sells our produce, fresh fruits in season  and value added products made from our own fruit by Deb - 20+ varieties of jams and preserves to choose from Plus a range of Deb’s baskets hand crafted from materials growing at Nirvana and roadside weeds. 

Shop 005

 

 

 

Nirvana Organic Farm is 5 kilometres from the Adelaide GPO the way the crow flies but for those who do not fly take the Stirling exit off the South Eastern Freeway , turn right at roundabout and travel 3.5 km to 184 Longwood Road HEATHFIELD. or check out your street directory UBD 157:G7 .

We are open Daily 9-5 during the berry season.

As the raspberries fade the Black Mulberry harvest begins.

Monday 3 January 2011

DR VANDANA SHIVA - Sydney Peace Prize Winner 2010 - The Future of Food and Seed

Take a tea break to listen to Dr  Vandana Shiva interviewed on Lateline.

Listen to her full address after receiving this years Sydney Peace Award at Vandana Shiva's Website

There is also a free download ‘ Manifesto on the Future of Seeds’ on the  Navdanya International website.

Check out her new book “SOIL not Oil”.

Dr Vandana talks about many issues in this speech including the future of food and seed for humans and the essential role we must play in caring for this precious planet.