Diggers Rest – Nature's beauty; Eco gardening tips; Snack on the go
March 2022 Issue #199
Hello,
What fun that we both love gardening. Thanks for joining me.
1) Nature's beauty
2) Eco gardening tips
3) Snack on the go
Capturing nature's beauty with art
~ Kevin Mortimer
Eco gardening tips
- Mucho munchies
Lucky spring readers, it's time to action the desire to GROW stuff! If you grow leafy greens, for example chard, spinach, collards etc, sow
extra and cut some young leaves to eat as they're growing. Let other plants grow large for cooking later. I even let at least one plant to go to seed and often let it self-sow with abandon.
- Fussy is best
If you don't have a large garden like me, then you have to plan a bit more, but it's worth it to grow your own. I have a far corner to toss leaves, branches, grass clippings etc. I also have several compost bins. I always find something to pick from and ready to eat in my garden. If you have a small plot or balcony garden, you may have to be selective and grow only veggies that you really like; that are not cheap to buy and that grow well in your climate and soil.
- Veg benefits
Here I go again... the internet is awash with tips, myths and opinions, so if you can be bothered, do a cost benefit analysis of growing your own. In a nutshell, I believe that growing your
veggies is definitely worth it because:
- Local, no need to travel
- fresh and no bad chemicals
- teaches patience, ha-ha, good for children too!
- keeps you away from tempting garden centers
- fun saving seeds, and sometimes getting weirdo results
- make friends, proudly give away and share surplus
- good outdoor exercise... and much more.
Fabulous Seeds! Now's the time to plant your seeds for the coming summer!
Whether you're looking to buy bulk seeds or smaller quantities, these packs are economical and fresh as fresh.
Only available for USA delivery.
Click to find out more and purchase here
Snack on the go
Handy snacky savory treaties
Ingredients
- 1 can drained chickpeas
- 1 garlic clove garlic, roughly chopped
- 1 medium carrot, grated
- 1 good sized handful of parsley, roughly chopped
- ½ cup sunflower seeds
- ¼ cup pumpkin seeds
- 1½ Tblns soy sauce
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- salt and pepper to taste
- ⅓ cup sesame seeds
- 2 tsps turmeric
- coconut oil for drizzling.
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180° C (356° F) and line a
baking tray with baking paper.
- Blend all ingredients except sesame seeds, turmeric and coconut oil, until well combined and the mixture forms a stiff dough.
- Take 1 heaped tablespoon of the dough and roll into a ball, roughly the size of a ping pong ball. Roll in the sesame seeds and place on the baking tray. Repeat till all the dough is used. Use the turmeric powder to sprinkle liberally over the balls. Finally drizzle the balls with a little coconut oil and place in oven for 20 minutes.
- After 20 minutes, flip them over then drizzle with more coconut oil. Turn up oven to 200° C (392° F) and place the balls back in oven for another 30-35 minutes. They are generally cooked when they have developed a slight crust on the outside. Cook longer if you like them crunchier.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool. Store in fridge for up to 5 days or freeze.
Note: These savoury balls are delicious served with
tahini, hummus or yoghurt dips.
Preparation time: Approximately 20-30 minutes
Cooking time: Approximately 1 hour
Live, love and garden
Megan
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