Taranaki Farm and the Vision.

This blog is a little different from all the rest.
It's been a little while since i last posted and unfortunately it will probably be a little while until i post again. This year has been super busy with outdoor ed work, trips, training and assignments and not a huge amount of time to share new food adventures. Being busy is only a temporary distraction though and i assure you, the passion is still there- alive and strong!

This weekend marked the start of some real research in to what has only ever been a dream for me. The beginning of the search for the perfect bit of land for what will eventually be our own self-sufficient home/ b&b/ farm? We haven't quite got that far... something with plants, food, animals, beer, wine cheese, cellar, larder?

What better way to mark that beginning than with an inspirational day at Taranaki Farm in Woodend, learning how the simple movement of animals can help to heal and regenerate the land. Joel Salatin said today "the land cries for caress" and that's exactly what Taranaki Farm are doing in such simple ways. We met the cows, or "beautiful innocuous bovines" and the egg-mobile which can be shifted with the movement of the cows. We met the pigs the egg-layers and the broilers and we checked out their new farm shop or "rural distribution centre" for legal purposes! Although we have a slightly different vision (less animals, more food and brew) It was really nice to see a vision for sustainable farming practices put in to action which gives us hope that these things are doable!

Costa Georgiadis told me to "share it", so i am. I'm sharing my dream of being self sufficient, of living off the land, growing, cooking and eating my own. Brewing and drinking my own too (thanks Cal) and then eventually, feeding other people with what we have so lovingly created. It all sounds a bit hippy lala, but i'm feeling pretty inspired, full of opportunity and super lucky to be able to even start looking at land! This will hopefully evolve over the next year (watch this space) and maybe updates will become more and more frequent as we get more excited about this new adventure.

When this all gets off the ground running, who would you like to come and build with us in return for some homemade goodies?

Mini Wallaby Burgers with Homemade Chili Jam and Beetroot Relish

 This is my first ever meaty recipe to feature on my blog. I'm feeling pretty excited to share it with you because i think it marks a big movement in my vegetarianism.

For the last 8 and a bit years i have been a non-meat-eater. Quite strict for the majority of that time and at some points, vegan.
In the last year i have been questioning my morals, working out why i choose to eat what i eat and challenging why I've started to eat some meats.

I'd like to say i consciously live a sustainable lifestyle. My main issue with the meat and dairy industry IS the industry itself and the impacts it has on our environment. The scale of meat consumption and the farming practices involved are pretty frightening. Whilst eating meat is not currently sustainable, i believe that if everyone had the same attitude towards meat and dairy as myself and a lot of others do, then meat-eating probably wouldn't be so hideous. For all those vegos out there- please continue. It's always going to be true that when you eat an animal, it has to die first and a plant-based diet is always going to be more sustainable. I don't eat meat often and i'm very picky about it too.

If you are at all interested in reading about meat the Sustainable Table website have some incredible resources to read.

So without, writing a lengthy ethical essay, I'd like to share with you my Mini Wallaby Burgers with the Homemade Chili Jam and Beetroot Relish that we were given as Christmas gifts yesterday.

Wallaby Burger
500g Wallaby Mince
Half White Onion, diced
1 Handful Fresh Parsley, chopped fine
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 Egg, beaten

Stir the onion, parsley, salt, pepper and egg in to the mince and leave to rest for at least half an hour.
Roll in to small patties (my mix made 9) and grill on the BBQ or fry lightly in oil for about 3 minutes on each side.

I served my burgers on mini sourdough rolls with shaved Parmesan, homemade chili jam, beetroot relish, fresh salad greens and sprouts.
You can't serve burgers without some sort of potato. We had rosemary and smoked paprika wedges with a garlic aioli. Oh and a beer!

Frozen Yoghurt - 3 Ways

Last week i was in Hobart having a bit of a city holiday- eating and drinking and reclining. It seems I'm quite attracted to the Hobart lifestyle. Much like Melbourne, Hobart's food and coffee scene is inspired and trendy. Much UNlike Melbourne though, is the slower pace of the city and the amount of water around! Ahh... Island life!

In my eating adventures around the Tassie city, I came across a cool Frozen Yoghurt place called Vita: Nature+Culture which is owned by the Creators of Ethos Eat Drink and Provedore (all next door to each other.) To be honest, I'd never jumped on the FroYo bandwagon so this was my first experience. It was so yum and the flavours were so interesting, i was inspired to make my own when i got home.

Here are the recipes to Frozen Yoghurt 3 Ways. This is so easy to make, I'm kicking myself I hadn't thought of doing this before! In these recipes, i have used some ripe fruit that i had at home, but be creative and use what you've got!

Nectarine Frozen Yoghurt
2 Ripe Yellow Nectarines
2 Ripe White Nectarines
1 cup. Organic Natural Yoghurt

Cherry Frozen Yoghurt
150 g Fresh Cherries, Pitted
1 cup. Organic Natural Yoghurt

This Method applies to both of the above recipes.
In a food processor blitz the fruit (without the pips) until you reach a smooth pulpy consistency. Stir through the yoghurt completely, transfer to an airtight container and put it in the freezer to set. Stir every half an hour and repeat 4 or 5 times.

Honey (Hobart Wildflower) and Cinnamon Frozen Yoghurt
1 1/2 tbs. Honey, melted if it's raw
1 tsp. Cinnamon
1 cup. Organic Frozen Yoghurt

Stir the melted honey and cinnamon through the yoghurt, transfer to an airtight container and put it in the freezer to set. Stir every half an hour and repeat 4 or 5 times.

Enjoy.

Spicy Bean Tacos with Cabbage Slaw

I have been craving tacos since last week. During my cooking class at camp last week i asked the kids what their signature dish would be if they were on a cooking show. One boy proceeded to tell me all about these incredible tacos he would make. Since then i haven't stopped thinking about making taaaaccccos so tonight was the night to satiate that craving.

My cousin (second cousin actually) from Scotland is visiting at the moment and like me, she's very much food obsessed. This recipe is a joint creation from the both of us.

*Note- You will need lots of limes for this!
   
Spicy Beans
2 tbs. cooking oil
1 large clove garlic
1 red onion
2 tsp. smoked paprika
1 tsp. cumin powder
1/4 tsp. chili powder
2 tbs. tomato paste
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 large capsicum, diced
juice of 1 lime
salt to taste

Heat oil in a saucepan and add onion and garlic until fragrant. Add the spices, tomato paste, beans, capsicum and diced tomatoes. Cook on a medium heat until the flavours are incorporated. Squeeze lime juice and season with salt.

Cabbage Slaw
1/4 Red Cabbage
2 carrots, grated
handful fresh coriander, finely chopped
1 zucchini, grated
1 cucumber, grated
Half onion sliced thinly
Juice of 1-2 limes
1 tbs. red wine vinegar
pinch raw sugar
2 tbs. sesame seeds, toasted

Combine all the vegetables and coriander in a large bowl. Dress with lime juice, red wine vinegar, raw sugar and sesame seeds.

Goats Cheese Guacamole
1 large avocado
few sprigs fresh coriander, finely chopped
1 tbs. goats cheese
Juice of 1 lime
salt and pepper to taste

Mash avocado and add all other ingredients.

Garlic Mayonnaise Sauce
1/2 cup good quality mayonaise
1 clove garlic
juice of half a lemon
fresh chives, chopped

To Serve
1 packet gluten free corn tortillas
Chopped fresh chilies or jalapenos 
More chopped limes for serving

Heat tortillas in a pan on a low heat or in the microwave and assemble as desired!

Spring Pizza - Kale, Zucchini, Mushroom and Parmesan on a Rye Base

This is my green machine pizza. I am slowly, but surely mastering the art of pizza. The right base, the right sauce and the right toppings. Last night i catered for my uncle's 50th birthday and I made lots of different pizzas! It's hard to go wrong with a good ol' slice.
Lately, Kale has been a good friend of mine. I use it in my smoothies, eat it with my eggs in the morning and now, i top my pizzas with it.

The thing i love about this pizza is that it stays really juicy from the zucchini and mushrooms while the rye base is nice and nutty and crunchy. Frying the kale in coconut oil, tamari and garlic before putting it on the pizza is absolutely imperative to the flavour!

The Base

(Makes 2 pizzas)

1 1/2 cups. Rye Flour

1 cup. White Flour

1 tsp. Salt

1 3/4 tsp. Dried Yeast

1 tbs. Olive Oil

200ml.

Luke Warm Water

Combine the flours and salt. In a separate bowl whisk the yeast in to the luke warm water and leave for 5  minutes.

Make a well in the flour mixture and add the yeast mixture and olive oil.

If you have a mixer with a dough hook, use that until the dough is combined, otherwise knead for 10-15 minutes. Place in an oiled bowl, cover and leave to rise in a warm place for half an hour to an hour.

Once your dough has risen, separate it in to 2 and roll out on a floured bench.

The Topping

1 cup Tomato Passata or 1 tin diced tomatoes (I like to cook up some garlic in lots of olive oil and reduce  my passata to a thick garlicy sauce!)

1/4 Bunch Kale

1 1/2 tbs. Coconut oil

1 tbs. Tamari

1 Clove Garlic

1 large Zucchini, sliced

6 Mushrooms, sliced

1 Handful Shredded Mozzarella 

3-4 tbs. Good quality grated or shaved Parmesan Cheese

1 tsp. smoked paprika

1/4 tsp. chili powder

Fresh parsley for garnish

Salt and Pepper

Coat your base in passata and sprinkle with mozzarella. 

Kale: In a frying pan, heat your coconut oil and tamari and fry garlic until soft, add the kale and fry until coated and slightly wilted. 

Zucchini: Brush each slice of zucchini with olive oil and sear on the bbq or fry until brown and slightly tender. 

Cover the base of the pizza with the fried kale and layer the zucchini and mushrooms on top. 

Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with smoked paprika and chili and half of the parmesan.

Cook for 25 minutes or until dough is crispy and cheese has melted.

Before serving, sprinkle the rest of the parmesan on top and garnish with chopped parsley.

Banana & Muesli Bread With Natural Yoghurt and Maple Syrup

 I've been on a bit of a hiatus lately -a bit of an unintentional break from the old blog. Lots of cooking has happened since my last post, but sadly, no time for photos and sharing. While i haven't been at the screen, I'll have you all know that I have been having a lot of fun! I've moved in to a beautiful mud brick house a little way from my work (where i was previously living) and have been having many a fun time in the sunshine. It is now well and truly Spring! Lots of work and lots of training and a new found passion for rock climbing.... watch this space!

Anyway, that's what I've been up to and I really have been meaning to update you all with a new recipe. Today's is spontaneous  I hadn't planned to cook today or even blog for that matter, but it all worked out so well that I might just share what happened in my kitchen this afternoon.

Banana and Muesli Bread Ingredients
1/3 cup. Almond Meal
1/3 cup. Rice Flour
1/2 Cup Rye Flour (or Gluten Free alternative)
2 tsp. Baking Powder
1/2 cup. Mixed Muesli (oats, nuts, seeds, dried fruit etc)
1 1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
1 tsp. Nutmeg
1/2 tsp. Ground Ginger
4 Very Ripe Bananas, mashed
3 Eggs, beaten
3 tbs. Natural Yoghurt
1 tsp. Vanilla Essence
1/3 cup. Coconut oil melted
1 tbs. Maple Syrup (optional)
1/4 cup. Milk of choice

Method
Preheat Oven to 180-200 and grease a medium sized loaf tin.
In a bowl, combine the dry ingredients. If you do not have muesli, use rolled oats and throw in some sultanas. In a separate bowl, mash the bananas and add all wet ingredients, saving the coconut oil until last. Combine the dry and wet ingredients together and mix through the melted coconut oil. Fill the loaf tin and bake for 45 minutes to an hour or until a skewer comes out clean.

Serve with natural yoghurt and a drizzle of honey or maple syrup. 
 Enjoy this Beautiful Banana Bread for Breakfast, Brunch, or just Because (how's that for alliteration?!)

Buckwheat Porridge with Strawberry Puree and Crunchy Maple Bits

Spring has almost sprung and I can’t say how happy I am to have some sunshine back in my life. My reptile self is warmly welcoming the early change of season and basking in whatever it gives me. So far it’s been very nice.

The other week I bought some buckwheat groats and since then, have been experimenting different uses.  Today was porridge. 

Before I go ahead and talk about the recipe, I’d like you to just divert your attention to the beautiful board on which my porridge sits. 

At the beginning of this month, Cal and I celebrated the anniversary of 5 special years together. Normally, gifts aren’t on the anniversary agenda, we tend to plan exciting adventures or experiences instead so this gift came a little unexpected. When Cal handed this over he told me he'd bought this beautiful piece of Huon Pine in Tasmania 10 years ago! Not sure how it managed to slip under the radar all this time, I'd never seen it in my life. He had sanded it down and oiled it and it is now one of the most beautiful things i own.

So now that the board has been credited, here's the recipe!

Buckwheat really doesn't need all that much tampering with. It's so beautiful and nutty, i stepped away from the spices this time.

Buckwheat Porridge

1/2 cup buckwheat groats

1 cup water

1/2 tbs. apple cider vinegar

1 cup plant based milk

1 tsp. cinnamon

Soak the buckwheat overnight in the water and apple cider vinegar.

Drain and rinse thoroughly.

In a saucepan cook the buckwheat in the milk and cinnamon until the liquid reduces.

You can either keep reducing and eat the buckwheat as it is like porridge or blend it.

I blitzed my warm buckwheat in a blender for a few seconds to achieve a thicker, porridge-like texture.

Alternatively, you can make a raw version which consists of just soaking overnight and then blending. A beautiful cool version for the warmer months to come!

Strawberry Puree

1 punnet ripe strawberries

1-2 tbs. water

Blend strawberries in a blender or food processor and add water until desired consistency is reached. If your strawbs are ripe enough your won't need to add any other sweetener.

Crunchy Maple Bits

1 handful walnuts

1 handful buckwheat groats

1 handful flaked coconut

1/2 tbs. maple syrup

Dry roast the walnuts, buckwheat and coconut until brown. Pour over the maple syrup and stir through.

Enjoy this wonderful porridge in the sun!