Off on Holidays

HELLO 2012, I'M NEARLY READY TO DIVE IN

Jen's pretty picture of the gluten /dairy free Cocoa Nib and Hazlenut Cookies

Nearly ready, but not quite. Still re- connecting mind and soul, not wanting to make any decisions whatsoever (way too hard) and still feeling not quite whole. And that's what it's all about really isn't it when it comes down to it?  Being whole. That word is a big one for me and sums up my approach and beliefs to most things - my work is  not called ' wholefood ' by mistake :) ! A whole life, expressing soul on the earthly plane is my interest, but I don't think you'd call me new agey at all. I just have this thing for beauty and feel very close to 'god or the universe' when I'm around it. And what's beauty for me? Something real, something true. But enough of that - this is a short post to say that other  than knitting mind and soul together, I've been recipe testing and getting the garden ready for the heat. That's the cucumber and zucchini bed below going nuts - there are at least 30 baby cucumbers that will be ready next week !!

I had quite a few recipes that needed some checking - small things like how much ganache do I need for the cookie batch below and thus it goes.

A closer look at that delicious dairy free chocolate ganache

We are off to Rottnest for a week's holiday - lots of amazing fresh ocean air, and walks by the beach I suspect and lots of time for that knitting (mind and soul). The books I've packed? Joel Salatins' new one "Folks, This Ain't Normal" and Novella Carpenter's new one "The Essential Urban Gardener" (I love her first book " Farm City"). I also want to take the time also to  re - evaluate what I want to express this year and how best to do that, so when I come back I'll be ready to dive in to my life in 2012 - with consciousness, vitality, joy and beauty - I'm know that's an easier thing when my mind and soul are equally balanced.

Cupboard (or Garden) Love Quick Beanie Mix ready for cooking - the yellow bits are heirloom carrots

But a recipe before I go - this is something quick and delicious to throw together. I've made mine above with what was in the garden, and cheated (using canned beans). But not just any old canned organic beans thankyou - I prefer the Eden Organic beans (black in this case) as I know they are soaked, cooked with Kombu and come in a BPA free can (this will link you to the American site, but in Australia are imported by Spiral Foods.) More expensive yes, imported yes, but they are a rare fall back position.

I'll see you soon - hope your knitting is going well too.

QUICK BEANIE MIX

I use what I have around in the garden - spring onions, beetroot and carrot. It doesn't matter if you don't have carrots - anything goes. If you don't have beetroot, replace them with an orange sweet potato (just a bit) - it's role is to sweeten the tomato. If using fresh tomato,  it's tempting to add more water in the beginning, but don't add too much or you will dilute the flavour. Just put a lid on the pan and give them 20 minutes over a very gentle heat to sweat out their juice, then continue on. Find a good chilli powder - I like a touch of chipotle and the new mexican red. You might need to look around for a shop with a good range of chilli but it's worth it - certainly Essential Ingredient in Australia stock them. If I've got any coriander (rare at this time of the year), I'll throw that in but don't shy away from basil, of which I have lots. There's no rule that says you couldn't add some chard, silverbeet or kale towards the end either. Serve as desired (nachos are good), sour cream, avocado and I love the Australian Harvest (organic) sweet chilli sauce - sorry, couldn't find a link for it, but many stores stock it. Glorious stuff.


2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 onion roughly diced
2 carrots cut into 1 cm dice
2 medium size beetroot cut into 1 cm pieces
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon good quality chilli powder, or to taste
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 x 400 gm can pinto, borlotti or black beans, rinsed and drained
1 x 400 gm can tomatoes, or fresh to equal
1 medium zucchini, cut into 1cm dice

Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and add the onion, carrot and beetroot. Saute over a gentle heat for 5 minutes. Add the cumin, chilli powder and garlic, stir well, then cook for a couple of minutes.

Stir in the beans, tomatoes and 250 ml water, then cover and gently simmer for 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are nearly cooked. Remove the lid and add the zucchini. Stirring frequently, cook at a hearty simmer for 10 - 15 minutes, or until the mixture is thick but saucy.