'Tis the season for fresh produce

Buying fruit and veg that are in season means more flavour and cost savings for the consumer

I find cooking so therapeutic and love trying new dishes. If you’re thinking of cooking up a storm and have heard all these TV chefs preaching to us about the importance of using ‘seasonal produce’ but aren’t sure what is in season, Taste has compiled a list of fruit and veg that are at their best in July.

Eating food that is in season means that it is of better quality and taste, and generally is sold a bit cheaper than other fresh produce. So when you hear these chefs yabbering on about it, they do know what they are talking about.

So it’s in our best interest to try and cook with ingredients that are in season as much as possible.  

So here's what's in season this July:

 Fruit

Avocados

Custard apples
Fuji apples
Grapefruit
Kiwifruit
Lemons
Limes
Mandarins
Nashi
Navel oranges
Pineapple
Pink lady apples
Pomegranates
Quinces
Red delicious apples
Rhubarb

Vegetables

Beetroot

Broccoli
Broccolini
Brown onions
Brussels sprouts
Cabbage
Carrots
Cauliflower
Celeriac
Celery
Chinese greens
Dutch carrots
English spinach
Fennel
Gai lan (Chinese broccoli)
Garlic
Ginger
Jerusalem artichokes
Kumara or sweet potatoes
Leeks
Olives
Parsnips
Potatoes
Pumpkin
Silverbeet
Spinach
Witlof

You (and your baby) are what you eat

So we are nearly 16 weeks along and baby is moving around quite a bit (so the doctors have told me – I am yet to feel anything!) and I’ve been told to spice up my diet a bit and eat a variety of different foods to help develop the bub’s palette.

We eat a pretty good balanced diet at home as it is, but this gives me the chance to be a bit more adventurous with the foods I am eating – all in the name of developing our growing baby’s taste!

So I have been indulging in a few different things that I love for instance, Vegemite and avocado on toast for breakfast (plus other variations including cheese and tomato as well), spicy curries, stir fries with lots of veggies and protein for dinner, creamy pasta dishes, soups and for snacks I have been having a heap of fruit (can’t get enough of berries and bananas) as well as yogurt, hard boiled eggs and musli bars and different cheeses (steering clear of the soft ones of course!).

In my quest to find food inspiration I’ve turned to a few trusty websites such as Taste and Everyday Gourmet for some ideas.

Now I have to clarify that I am not craving any specific foods as such, I am just eating a wider variety of things… I have heard that it is more a textural thing anyway, that the cravings have more to do with how something feels in the mouth than the actual taste (for instance, some women have been known for munching on chalk, soap, cigarette butts and dirt...um weird!). Thank god I am not ‘craving’ anything like this! 

So as well as being happily pregnant, I am also loving the excuse to cook some new dishses and eat from as many different food groups as I can (I won't be taking a leaf out of Jessica Simpson's "I can eat anything because I'm pregnant" book because I know that gym sessions after this baby is born are going hard enough!).

If there is one thing I am not giving up in my diet it's Vegemite - Vegemite and cheese scrolls, with avocado, slathered on toast with butter... I can't get enough. Maybe I do have salty cravings after all!?

Trying to be good hurts (the hip pocket)

So in our bid to be healthier and treat our bodies better, I have told my husband that I am going to be buying more free range and organic products in my future visits to the supermarket.

My family has a history of Coeliac disease (basically living off a Gluten-free diet). I have been used to eating GF products, but eating organically is something different.

I already prefer to buy fruit and veg from the local markets if I can (and give farmers the direct benefit of my dollar, rather than going to the head-honchos at the major supermarkets) but the thing is, I am rather time-poor at the moment and the supermarket is just around the corner from my place…

So if I have to buy stuff from the greedy, mainstream stores, then I’ve decided I want to buy free-range and organic where I can.

What really sucks is that what’s better for us, and really, MUCH better for the animal, fruit and vege crops, costs SO much more than the standard stuff, which includes pesticides, synthetic hormones and a whole load of nasty additives, colours and preservatives.

Buying fresh produce from farmers' markets means you're supporting their industry and buying food that is better for you - ask them what (if any) pesticides they use as not all farmers are organic.

And another thing, buying products that are made in Australia also come with a higher price tag. It’s ludicrous! I know that supermarkets are competitive and try and keep prices as low as possible (without missing out on their margins) but I am not sure that they are doing as much as they could be.

Not long ago I saw Dick Smith on tele advertising his new General Store that he opened after his dismay at our farmers going broke because we opt to buy chemically enhanced food that is grown and packaged overseas. Hey, it’s cheaper and a lot of people can’t afford to be choosy when it comes to grocery shopping for their families.

Dick’s shop is filled with Australian grown and packaged products from some of our country’s best gourmet food producers, as well as his own branded wares (I happen to LOVE his crunchy peanut butter) but they are that bit more dearer than other products.

For instance, I’ve compared a few products that you can buy from the supermarket and make the choice between organic or normal – the price difference is astronomical.

ORGANIC PRODUCTS                                 NORMAL PRODUCTS

Organic corn chips 200g	$3.20	CCs corn chips 200g	$3.17
Organic rolled oats 750g	$4.83	Homebrand rolled oats 750g	$1.28
Organic cashew nuts raw 250g	$8.91	Sunbeam cashew nuts raw 250g	$6.99
Organic pasta sauce 375g	$4.29	Five Brother’s pasta sauce 500g	$3.75

This is only a small sample, but as you can see, you pay more for what is essentially, better for you. In some cases, you get much more product (see the pasta sauces) for a lot less cost.

Essentially in order for me to eat free-range, organic, gluten-free and pesticide free, I have estimated that I will basically have to spend about $25 extra to do this every week. That’s $1,300 extra per year to eat products that are much better for me and my family and support our own Aussie farmers in the same hit.

This shit is crazy and doesn’t make sense!

Anyway, if you want to side-track the supermarkets, here’s a link to the Australian Farmers’ Markets Association website – you can find your closest market by clicking the ‘Find a Market’ tab http://www.farmersmarkets.org.au/

Wish me luck on my quest to eat healthier and support our food growers – I might go broke in the process but at least I’ll feel better for it.

Bad-weather baking

Recent wet weather has meant a lot of time indoors. After suggesting to my husband that we attempt to bake some scones he tells me: "I don't know if you know this about me, but I really love scones."

Well, thanks to this bit of information, we spent Friday afternoon baking scones! I've attached the recipe, which was really easy to follow, from Taste.com.au

A pic of our delicious scones

Lemonade Scones

Ingredients

300g (2 cups) self-raising flour, sifted
55g (1/4 cup) caster sugar
125ml (1/2 cup) thick cream     
125ml (1/2 cup) lemonade
40ml (2 tbs) milk

Method

1.      Preheat the oven to 220°C. Lightly grease a baking tray.

2.      Place the flour, sugar and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Add the cream and lemonade and mix to form a soft dough. Turn out onto a lightly floured workbench and knead lightly until combined. Press the dough with your hands to a thickness of about 2cm. Use a 6cm round cutter to cut out 8 scones, place on baking tray and brush the tops with some milk. Bake for 10-15 minutes until lightly browned. Serve warm with your favourite jam.

McDonalds loses Heart tick and beat for healthy options

Via AAP

McDonald's will lose the right to display the National Heart Foundation's Tick on foods marketed as healthy options.

The fast food giant pays about $300,000 a year so it can put the trademarked Tick next to fish burgers, salads and chicken wraps. 

But the Heart Foundation has told McDonald's it is removing the company's right to use the Tick, which has been used to promote its foods during the past five years, News Ltd reports.

A number of smaller takeaway chains, including gourmet pizza group Crust, will also lose the Tick, but the symbol will remain on supermarket foods.

The foundation's chief executive Lyn Roberts said the move was not a criticism of McDonald's but a change in direction to concentrate on ingredients delivered to restaurants and food outlets. 

The foundation also plans to announce a new plan to conduct random tests on restaurant and takeaway food for levels of saturated fat and salt.

What does this mean for you as a consumer? I know that I never went to McDonalds with the hope of eating something healthy – I went for the French Fries, Cheeseburger and McNuggets!

I barely go to the fast food chain, but at least they offered something that was deemed healthy so that people who wanted to the option of choosing something that was better for them, could do so.

What are your thoughts regarding this? Are you surprised that the ‘tick’ has been taken away? Did you or anyone you know actually choose the healthy options offered on the McDonald’s menu?

Let me know!

Making changes for the better

With lots of new and exiting things happening in my life, I’ve decided that I want to do a complete overhaul so that I can be in the best physical shape and have the healthiest mind/body I’ve ever had.

I’ve decided to join Hello Sunday Morning (http://hellosundaymorning.com.au/) and have joined many others who have taken the pledge to give up alcohol for a minimum of three months.

I can honestly say I am pretty proud of myself for making this commitment – it’s not as though I rely on alcohol, but I do like to have a glass of wine from time to time. It’s more the excessive consumption on a weekend that I think I really need to cut back on.

I think binge drinking in Australia, especially from 18-30 year olds is a growing problem and it’s sad because it often causes irreversible damage to those who abuse alcohol.

As part of my total transformation I’ve also decided that I want to know more about the food me and my family are consuming. 

I love cooking, as most of my friends would know, and I’ve realised that it’s no good putting things into our bodies when we don’t even know what they are. For instance, if you read the back of a chip packet and there are several different preservatives, added colours and flavours and ingredients that you can’t even pronounce… why would you eat something that you couldn’t even say?

I’ve decided that anything I cook, I am making from scratch so that I know exactly what is in the meal I’ve made.

Cutting back on red meat and animal products in general is also something I’ve committed to doing and to clarify, I don’t mean turning vegetarian.

What many people don’t realise is that consuming meat-and-three-veg is not an ideal diet to survive on. It’s proven that red meat causes cancer if consumed on a regular basis (or more than four times a week).  Saturated animal fats are among the worst kinds of fat we can put into our bodies.

So in the spirit of understanding the things I consume, I’ve decided I am going to do a course in nutrition – not full time, but I just want to take it up as a part-time hobby, because I’m generally interested in making a change and being better educated when it comes to what I put in my body.

I have a couple of dear family friends who are battling life-threatening illnesses at the moment and they remind me that at the end of the day, being healthy and happy is the main thing in life. It’s not about materialistic crap – if you don’t have your health, you don’t have much of a life, so it’s important to look after yourself.

I am not judging anyone or making any outlandish statements by doing this – it’s just a personal decision and something I want to do for me. I still endeavour to be social and go out with friends who are drinking, but I’ll just stick to the mineral water thank you very much!

If anyone has participated in a nutrition course (on the Gold Coast) I’d really like to hear about your experience and what you got out of it.

Coconut caramel slice is nice

I made this yesterday - a friend gave me the recipe from a clipping out of a magazine... it was yummo! Here is the recipe if you wish to give it a go!

Coconut caramel slice

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup plain flour
• 1/2 cup self-raising flour
• 1/2 cup desiccated coconut
• 1/2 cup caster sugar
• 100g butter, melted
• 400g can sweetened condensed milk
• 2 tbs golden syrup
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 60g butter, melted, extra
• 4 eggs, lightly whisked
• 2/3 cup caster sugar, extra
• 4 cups desiccated coconut, extra

 

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease a slice pan. Line base and two opposite sides with baking paper, extending paper 5cm over edge of pan.
   
2. Combine sifted flours, coconut, caster sugar and butter in a medium bowl. Press mixture evenly over base of prepared pan. Cook for 20-25 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool slightly.
   
3. Combine sweetened condensed milk, golden syrup, brown sugar and extra butter in a medium bowl. Spread mixture evenly over base.
   
4. Combine eggs, extra sugar and extra coconut in a medium bowl and sprinkle evenly over filling. Cook for further 20-25 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool in pan. Cut slice into squares or triangles to serve.

Roasted pumpkin soup

Last night I made the most delish pumpkin soup for dinner. It was a Donna Hay recipe and it was pretty easy. I've posted the recipe below (serves 4).

Ingredients

• 1 x 2kg whole butternut pumpkin
• 1 onion
• olive oil, for drizzling
• sea salt
• 3½ cups (875ml) chicken stock
• 1 cup (250ml) single (pouring) cream
• 1 tablespoon honey
• sour cream, to serve

Method

1. Preheat oven to 220°C (425°F).
2. Cut the pumpkin in half lengthways and scoop out the seeds.
3. Place the pumpkin, cut-side up, and onion on a baking tray.
4. Drizzle with a little oil and sprinkle with salt.
5. Bake for 55–60 minutes or until the pumpkin is just soft and starting to brown. Scoop the pumpkin out of the skin into a blender.
6. Scoop the onion flesh away from its skin and add to the blender.
7. Add 1 cup (250ml) of the chicken stock and blend until smooth.
8. Pour the mixture into a saucepan, add remaining stock, cream and honey.
9. Place over medium heat until soup is heated through.
10. Serve with sour cream.

Gluten-free and fabulous

So last night I made dinner for a very good friend who has a gluten intolerance.

Luckily, my grandmother and both aunties are Coeliac (well, not lucky for them, but lucky for me) so I knew exactly what I could and couldn’t include in the meal.

Basically if you are Coeliac, you have to eat a gluten and wheat-free diet otherwise you’ll get gassy and vomit and have cramps and all kinds of other nasty side-effects.

My grandmother used to make the most unbelievably good pumpkin gluten-free bread… and I used to pray to God that he would make me Coeliac just so I had an excuse to eat this delicious ‘special’ food I’d discovered. Now that I am older and look at the price of gluten-free products on the shelves of the supermarket, I don’t feel the urge so much anymore.

Celebs and other notable people have made gluten-free diets trendy, but it has been part of my family’s life for as long as I can remember. It’s not a bad way to live even if you don’t have an intolerance; unfortunately it’s pretty costly.

So in the spirit of eating gluten-free, here is a tasty risotto recipe for you to try that isn’t hard at all and is really yummy.

Creamy chicken and mushroom risotto

Ingredients (serves 4)

50g unsalted butter
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
2 chicken breast fillets, cut into 2cm cubes
2 cups (440g) arborio rice
1/4 cup (60ml) white wine
1.25L (5 cups) chicken stock (you can get GF stock from most supermarkets)
1/2 cup (50g) grated parmesan, plus extra to serve
1 cup sliced assorted mushrooms
Thyme leaves
Olive oil, to drizzle

Method

Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat, add the onion and garlic cook for 2-3 minutes until soft. Add chicken and cook for 2-3 minutes until it starts to colour, then add the rice and cook, stirring for 1 minute. Add wine and stir until rice has soaked up.

Add a ladleful (about 125ml/1/2 cup) of the simmering stock to the rice and stir constantly with a wooden spoon until the liquid is absorbed. Continue adding the stock mixture, a ladleful at a time, stirring constantly and allowing the liquid to be absorbed before adding the next ladleful, for 20-25 minutes or until the rice is tender yet firm to the bite and the risotto is creamy. At this point season with salt and pepper.

Add the mushrooms and a sprinkle of thyme leaves at the end and heat through. Finish with a drizzle of good extra virgin olive oil (optional).

From Taste.com.au

Waiting for winter

This morning I woke up shivering. If I could take a snapshot of myself looking down from the ceiling, I would be curled up in the foetal position with a shiver running through my shoulder.

Although the warmer days are coming to an end and the sun doesn’t seem to be staying out as long, I am thrilled that we are entering the cooler months.

When I was little, I used to get excited when it turned chilly because it meant that it would be my birthday soon (mid-May for all those who want to know). And it also meant that I got to dress up in thick coats, jeans, beanies, scarves and boots.  

If I had to choose a season, it would be winter or very early spring, before it gets too hot. There is something so satisfying about dressing in comfortable, reassuring clothing, snuggling under three layers of blankets and wearing Ugg Boots around all day.

Even though I love winter, I hate snow. It’s odd and I think it’s partially due to the fact that I am born and bred on the Gold Coast and the coldest place I’ve been is Melbourne CBD.

But the fact is, I’d rather sit at a bar in a ski chalet with a bottle of red wine and my husband to share it with, overlooking ski slopes and dressed in a glamorous winter ensemble. Plus, the one time I did go venturing into the white stuff, I fell over, got ice in my undies and looked like a hideous, uncoordinated snow bunny in my stuffy, hired ski outfit. I really don’t want to re-live that experience…

Also, in winter you can get really good food produce that is in season and make beautiful, warming meals like stews, soups and roasts (nothing beats a beef stew or a shepherd's pie in winter, in my opinion).

So as a Gold-Coaster, I am going to embrace the cooler months the only way I know how – by buying a new winter wardrobe and heading out to the farmer’s markets to get some yummy ingredients for my comfort-food cooking.