Acacia/wattle flowers
Happy Spring (in the Southern Hemisphere)!!
I’m sorry I have been quiet here….I am trying to put together a grant proposal which is taking up much of my headspace. The weather has also been awful this week - extremely hot, extremely windy, extremely dry, not a good combination. This has meant that I had to test-run the fire equipement and be on-guard which also takes up a lot of brain power and energy.
This isn’t ideal as I really need to get into the garden. There are so many jobs waiting - trimming (yes, I am really, really late on this job) and mulching the orchard, tidying up the raspberry canes before they get many more leaves, sowing vegetable seeds as well as medicinal herbs and dye plants, move the rhubarb to a different bed (they like this every few years), plant out the dahlia tubers, transplant onion seedlings….
I do feel as if I have had a bit of time to rest and relax before the busy planting, growing, harvesting, preserving seasons ahead which is a real change from previous years. I have worked on art projects, spent time watching the birds, made a few New Zealand flax baskets, sat down to chat with my friends over cups of tea, shared meals and wine next to the fire on cold nights. It has been lovely. Now, though, I feel the pull to be outside more; the desire to take long walks, camp under the stars, swim in cold creeks. From introversion to extroversion.
Rainbow chard
To simplify my life I have been practicing simple cooking (I guess as opposed to slow cooking); trying to keep dinners as basic as possible. There are three meals that I have been relying heavily on lately: Mexican-style beef, Asian stir-fry and butter beans and greens.
For breakfasts we are just having eggs - scramble with cheese, salt and pepper, cooked in butter, or smoothies (I am trying to use up all the frozen fruit in the freezer before this year’s crop start) with homemade yogurt and a bit of blood orange juice (there are so many on the tree).
Lunch is typically whatever is around to snack on - snow peas, citrus, leftovers, yogurt, cheeses, homemade sourdough bread…
Mexican Beef
Saute diced onion in lard; when they are cooked add beef mince/ground beef, smoked paprika, cumin powder, salt (or verdurette), pepper and homemade hot sauce from last Autumn and cook through. Sprinkle on some chopped, fresh coriander/cilantro or stir in z’houg. You can also stir in a teaspoon or so of liver powder once you turn the heat off for extra nutrients.
I just serve this in a bowl with either sauerkraut or kimchi….that’s it. I make a big batch and keep eating from it for a few days. If I want to make it more exciting, I prepare homemade tortillas and serve the beef with them and extra hot sauce, maybe some shredded lettuce ot other greens.
Asian Stir-fry
Saute onion in coconut oil, then add carrots and any other hard vegetables; once they are getting soft add your brassicas/cruciferous vegetables like cauliflower, broccoli, etc. Last, add green leafy veg and cook until wilted. Add toasted sesame seed oil, coconut aminos or tamari, turn off the heat and top with sesame seeds (I add both black and white for a nice effect). Serve as is or with noodles or rice; a bit of kimchi on the side. If I need some protein to go with dinner, I just cook a large omelette in coconut oil and slice it into long strips, place them over the top of the stir-fry.
Butter Beans & Greens
Saute onions in butter, then add garlic; next add any greens you have from the garden or foraged and allow them to wilt. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add a few handfuls of cooked butter beans (or any beans) and turn the heat up a bit to get a bit of brown on the beans - keep an eye on it at this point. Once everything is cooked through, turn the heat off and grate on parmesan cheese or sprinkle with feta or goat’s cheese. Serve with fermented veg on the side. If you need some grains to go with this cook a bit of millet or buckwheat to accompany it.
I will try to catch up with my writing as soon as I have this other task off my list. Until then, much love - Nx