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THE DIRT
"Of the 300 or so permitted food additives in Australia, at least 30 are known or suspected carcinogens"
Source - Additive Alert by Julie Eady
The best way to avoid these additives is to eat foods as close to their natural form as possible and to cook for yourself. Christmas cooking with your family can be a very rewarding experience that allows you not only to spend quality time cooking wonderful food, but also to pass on this wonderful tradition of family cooking to the next generation.
G SPOT
The one day a year I spend doing my Christmas baking is perhaps the most cathartic day of the year. See our BLOG for recipes.
If you have a wonderful Christmas recipe or two - BLOG or email us.
COME CLEAN
Here are some wonderful recipe ideas from three organic domestic goddesses!
A recipe for sugar free fruit cake from Edith Lauk of Shopper Help. Contact Edith at shopperhelp@westnet.com.au for a personalised supermarket tour on to help you 'slash food additives from your shop'.
Healthy Fruit Cake:
Place organic dried fruits (4 cups), ground cinnamon (1 teaspoon), mixed spices (1 teaspoon) and water (1 cup) in a large saucepan. Over a low heat stir until the mixture boils.
Simmer for 30 minutes.
Remove from heat and cool for about 30 minutes. Do not allow the mix to become cold.
Add organic wholemeal flour (2 cups), milk (1/2 cup) and organic beaten eggs (2).
Mix thoroughly.
Pour the mixture into a 20 cm cake tin lined with baking paper.
Bake for 1 hour at 180 degrees C.
Spicy Nuts: by Keryn Rose of Loose Produce
For all your organic cooking needs, including Christmas cooking classes and ingredients, visit the Loose Produce store at 2 Hobbs Ave Como. These nuts make great Christmas Gifts.
Ingredients - Nuts
2/3 cup (120g) raw almond kernels
2/3 cup (110g) raw cashews
1 cup (100g) brazil nuts
1/3 cup (55g) pistachio kernels
Ingredients - Coating
2 teaspoons Tamari sauce
1 ½ teaspoon honey
½ teaspoon sesame oil
½ teaspoon ground coriander
¼ teaspoon ground chilli
Method
Combine nuts and spread over an oven tray. Bake at 180ºC, stirring the nuts halfway through, for about 14 minutes or until lightly browned.
Make the coating, combining all the ingredients in a medium heatproof bowl and mix well.
Add the hot nuts straight from the oven and stir until the moisture evaporates and the nuts are lightly coated.
Spread the nuts on the tray and return to the oven for 1 minute. Cool on the tray (the coating will dry and become a little crisp on cooling).
To store, place the nuts in an airtight container. They will keep for about 6 weeks.
Spicy Tomato Sipping Soup by Susanne E. Wilder, CFE
Serves 8
Oil from pump spray (1 tsp=2 squirts), or Agonis Olive Oil
1 large red onion, minced
1K Fresh Roma tomatoes, rough chopped
1-cup vegetarian broth
1 med. orange, zested (opt.)
1 tsp. Paprika
2 tsp grated fresh ginger
1 tsp. Organic Ginger Pulp
1 Tbsp. fresh basil leaves, chiffonade
½ - 1 small bay leaf
½ tsp. Red chili, minced
¼ tsp. Ea. freshly grated nutmeg, cloves & allspice
¼ cup minced parsley
Garnish:
Lemon or lime slices
Light sour cream or Biodynamic yoghurt
Haas avocado, diced
TO PREP:
Prepare and measure all ingredients.
TO COOK:
Spray or heat oil in large pot or Dutch oven. Add onion; cover and cook on medium low until translucent ("sweat"), about 6 to 8 minutes. Add remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer 15 minutes. Remove from heat & discard bay leaf.
TO SERVE:
Just before serving stir in parsley. Garnish each serving with citrus slice, dollop of cream and a jaunty fillip of ginger with diced avocado.
Susanne E. Wilder, CFE B.S. FNIM is a Reformed Cordon Bleu chef, Home Economist, Nutritionist, cooking teacher and food writer as well as a cookbook author, caterer and food stylist.
This simple fast soup was first developed as a Holiday season sipping soup for Sunset Magazine in 1975 where I was a happy home economist. It re-appeared (with 3 major changes) in my 4th cookbook, Entertaining Fast & Fresh and with a Southwest flair most recently in Creative Mexican Cooking. Here in Oz I adapted it for Buderim Ginger when I did the Fine Food Show for them in Sydney and it is sublime hot or cold! Come to a cooking class if you like to taste without preparing it! Fast and Fresh.
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